


Episode I: The Darkness Revived

by SammaKlaus



Series: Star Wars Alternate Trilogy [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Bandits & Outlaws, Blaster fights (Star Wars), Coruscant, Gen, Human Disaster Anakin Skywalker, Hutts, Jedi, Jedi Temple, Jedi Training, Lightsaber Battles, Lightsabers, Planet Naboo (Star Wars), Science Fiction, Sith, Space Battles, Space Flight, Speeder chases (Star Wars), Tatooine, The Force, Young Anakin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-28
Updated: 2017-04-28
Packaged: 2018-10-24 22:09:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 94,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10750803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SammaKlaus/pseuds/SammaKlaus
Summary: [Star Wars Episode I AU][An ambitious project undertaken purely for the love of Star Wars, this story is a re-imagining of episode 1 (The Phantom Menace). It involves new characters, new adventures, and fewer Jar Jar Binkses in an attempt to make the prequel trilogy more palatable for less-than-impressed fans. Episodes 2 and 3 will follow in time.]A long time ago, in a galaxy far,far away…STARWARSEpisode ITHE DARKNESS REVIVEDA thousand-year era of peace in the galaxy has ended. With corruption and bureaucracy dominating the Senate, ruling body of the GALACTIC REPUBLIC, the complaints of the people go largely unheard. Frustrated by the state of the government, a rebel organization called the SEPARATIST MOVEMENT has emerged in the far reaches of the galaxy, seeking to tear entire systems away from the Republic’s rule by force.With the Senate’s politicians locked in endless debate, the Separatists have launched a siege of the small planet of Naboo, hoping to claim it for their cause. Knowing young Queen Amidala may be forced into submission before a political solution is reached, Supreme Chancellor Valorum has secretly dispatched two Jedi Knights to rescue her….





	1. Intro and Part One: The Welcome Party

**Author's Note:**

> Critiques appreciated, negativity deleted!  
> If you don't like this story because of its included relationships or my creative choices, please don't clog up my comment section with insults or complaints. Not every story is for every reader.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far,

far away…

**STAR WARS**

**Episode I**

**THE DARKNESS REVIVED**

A thousand-year era of peace in the galaxy has ended. With corruption and bureaucracy dominating the Senate, ruling body of the GALACTIC REPUBLIC, the complaints of the people go largely unheard. Frustrated by the state of the government, a rebel organization called the SEPARATIST MOVEMENT has emerged in the far reaches of the galaxy, seeking to tear entire systems away from the Republic's rule by force.

With the Senate's politicians locked in endless debate, the Separatists have launched a siege of the small planet of Naboo, hoping to claim it for their cause. Knowing young Queen Amidala may be forced into submission before a political solution is reached, Supreme Chancellor Valorum has secretly dispatched two Jedi Knights to rescue her…

**Part 1: The Welcome Party**

Blaster bolts flew wildly as the small, unmarked courier-class starship sped toward the lush, green planet of Naboo. Battleship turrets fired from their stationary positions in the blockade that cut off the small world from the rest of the galaxy. The courier's pilot had an easy time of dodging the turret shots. It was the fighters that posed the biggest threat. Called "vulture droids" by most, the fighters were unmanned space-worthy drones. Devoid of human fear, these starfighter droids easily copied every maneuver the expert pilot could think of, no matter how daring or insane.

The courier was forced to veer away from its course when another squad of vulture droids appeared in front of it. The quick little starship turned harshly and headed straight toward one of the enormous battleships. Only meters away from colliding with the larger ship's shield, the courier suddenly pulled up and flew parallel with the battleship's hull. The closest of its vulture droid pursuers slammed into the energy shield behind it.

"You're going to get us killed!"

Master Qui-Gon Jinn, the older of the two Jedi aboard the courier turned his head away from the action to look at his padawan apprentice.

"Calm yourself, Obi-Wan," he said, "we are in good hands."

Qui-Gon was a sixty year old human male with long brown hair, partially tied up in a simple band. His beard and mustache were kept well-groomed. His watchful blue eyes were capable of conveying kindness and comfort just as easily as they could cause an unruly padawan to freeze in an instant, a fact his apprentice had learned very quickly.

Qui-Gon's padawan, Obi-Wan Kenobi, put his hand to his forehead and sighed, working to take control of his fear as he'd been taught. He'd enjoyed flying when he was younger, even managing to become one of the best pilots among the other padawans, but enduring the rapid motion of space combat was something he'd never had to do before. The droids chasing and shooting at them certainly didn't help. The Republic had experienced a thousand years of peace, not a single full-blown war since its creation. The thought of doing more with his Jedi training than simply policing the galaxy's star systems was enticing, but the excitement of spaceborne dogfights was more than he would have wished for.

"Why things had to start picking up again during my lifetime is beyond me," he murmured to himself.

Obi-Wan was a twenty-five year old man with his auburn hair cut short, aside from a small ponytail near the base of his skull and a slender braid that fell over his right shoulder. The style was a mark of his status as an apprentice, though few outside the Jedi Order knew it.

With the artificial gravity aboard the starship, Obi-Wan knew he wouldn't get motion sickness, but there was no feature to guarantee they wouldn't be killed in a fiery crash. It was an image that refused to leave his mind, despite the training he'd received in the area of controlling his fear. And yet, there was nothing he could do about the fighters chasing them. He knew he had to put his trust in the courier's skilled pilot. He looked up at Qui-Gon and nodded his apology.

His master returned his attention to the trajectory of the ship.

"These ships have assembled from all over the galaxy," he observed aloud, "I've never seen such a variety in one fleet before."

"The Republic really let this revolt get out of hand! They should've put this thing down a long time ago," the pilot cried.

Qui-Gon leaned forward in his seat and pointed.

"There, an opening," he said, his voice calm and controlled as ever. Obi-Wan aspired to achieve that level of emotional discipline.

The pilot grunted her acknowledgement.

"I see it," she muttered.

Ruta Vostana was a caramel-skinned young woman of twenty years with dark, almost black hair tied up in a short ponytail with a silver band. Her light brown eyes had a tinge of orange in them and were partially hidden by the green-lensed goggles that sat just under the visor of her navy blue cap.

Ruta leaned to the right as she spun the yoke hard. The ship rotated a full one hundred and eighty degrees to avoid colliding head-on with two of the fighters. The vulture droids sped past just over their heads.

Through the transparisteel of the cockpit's ceiling, Obi-Wan could see it was a close call. He had to reach for a place of calm trust once again and looked ahead toward the planet before them. The pilot's quick dodge had left nothing between them and the lush jungles and plains of Naboo. He would have thought they were in the clear if it weren't for the multiple blips behind them on the scanner. The courier shook violently and he grasped his seat's restraints, sensing things were about to get worse.

"That was a big one!" the pilot cried.

"That blast blew a hole through our rear shield," Qui-Gon warned her, observing the ship's diagnostic screen. He looked at her. "If we're hit there again, we may lose our left propulsion."

"Well, we'll just have to get hit everywhere else first, won't we?" she replied sarcastically.

Obi-Wan grimaced.

Ruta laughed nervously.

"Look, I know one fast ship was probably our best shot at getting through this blasted blockade, but no one ever said it was _actually possible_ to get through, so don't blame me if we die. Deal?"

"I promise my charred remains will forgive you," Obi-Wan replied.

"Calm your fear and focus on the task at hand," Qui-Gon advised her.

"Fear?" Ruta laughed haughtily. "This isn't my first suicide mission, _Master Jedi Sir_."

"Denying your emotions doesn't help you to control them."

"Would it help if I started meditating?" Ruta asked, her voice getting a little higher in pitch, "Because I really hope the Force is with us."

The three braced themselves as the courier swerved after taking a particularly nasty hit.

"Blast!" the pilot cursed. She deftly pressed several buttons on the console and the ship leveled out. "R4, divert some of our engine power to the rear shields," she said. The astromech droid attached to the hull just outside the cockpit bleeped back at her and did as it was told. "Okay, we're going to be a bit slower now so just warn me if the droids start catching up with us."

"Veer left, quickly," Qui-Gon ordered.

Ruta complied and three large blaster bolts flew past them on the right.

"You see?" the Jedi master continued, "the Force _is_ with us."

"Cool trick," the pilot exclaimed appreciatively.

"Try diverting all power to the engines."

Ruta took her eyes off their course briefly to give Qui-Gon an incredulous glance.

"I know some of the people who recommended me would say I'm crazy, but I'm not stupid."

"Our main priority should be to get out of range of those battleship turrets," the Jedi Master explained.

Ruta let out a long "oh".

"Right, now that we're out of the thick of it, we're an easier target," she observed aloud.

"Precisely."

Ruta relayed the order to the astromech droid and they began bearing down on the planet at an alarming rate. Obi-Wan let a long breath out through his nose and leaned back in his chair. Calming himself was easier the third time, he noted. Perhaps he was starting to get used to the danger. It was an amusing notion, he thought.

"We'll be out of range in a few seconds at this rate," Ruta announced. She gripped the yoke harder.

There was a crash from somewhere behind the cockpit and the diagnostic screen began blinking bright red-orange. Obi-Wan could hear metal moaning and creaking.

"What did we just lose?" he asked.

"Just a panel….and a chunk of our power lines," Ruta replied. She cleared her throat and adjusted her position in her seat. "The engines'll only be able to run for a few seconds before we're on our own up here. We're going to have to make this a crash landing."

Obi-Wan maintained his calm as the pilot rapidly manipulated the controls, extending the ship's drag panels. She slowed the engines gradually until they stopped humming. With the engines useless, she focused on leveling the ship out.

"Okay, we're entering the atmosphere now. Hold on!" Ruta shouted at them over the roar of the planet's air protesting against their high-speed intrusion. The ship began to quake turbulently. The edges of the drag panels started to glow orange, heated by the atmospheric resistance.

Obi-Wan leaned forward to see what they'd be crashing into. They were zooming over droopy trees and what looked to be moist wetlands. It was encouraging to know they had a chance at a soft crash, if such a thing existed. He looked ahead and noticed the wetlands thinned considerably before vanishing into grassy plains, complete with large, light-colored rocks to tear the courier to pieces. He also noticed Ruta was keeping the ship on a straight course past the softer swamplands.

"Shouldn't we be aiming for the water down there?" he asked anxiously.

"If we angle down too drastically, we might end up diving nose-first into it," she shouted back, "besides, Theed is further up, after the plains. There's a lake next to the city, so we should be able to land safely if we make it that far."

"'If we make it that far' are definitely the words I wanted to hear."

The ship lurched when one of the drag panels ripped off the front of the hull and slammed into the R4 unit, tearing its upper half away with it. The droid's sad, panicked beeps became inaudible almost immediately as they left its head far behind them.

"Now we're _really_ on our own," Ruta exclaimed through clenched teeth.

"We have confidence in your skill," Qui-Gon assured her, glancing back at Obi-Wan critically.

"Yes, more confidence than I'd have in my own," Obi-Wan contributed.

"Well, good," Ruta replied breathlessly, "at least that's two of us."

Obi-Wan raised an anxious eyebrow in his master's direction.

The courier sped over the plains. Ahead, there was a cliff that looked as if it were shimmering. Waterfalls, Obi-Wan guessed, or one very large waterfall. Although he knew it was impossible to continue indefinitely, the ship hadn't seemed to slow down since they'd entered the atmosphere. Even then, the grasslands were zipping past in a green blur. Their altitude had decreased to where they couldn't have been more than ten meters above the ground. He looked ahead again and saw the cliff rapidly approaching.

"See those waterfalls?" Ruta asked.

"Yes, and the cliff they're pouring over," Obi-Wan answered.

"Right, well, the city on top of that cliff is Theed, so we're almost there. Just be happy we didn't crash into the grass back there. The boulders would've shredded us."

Obi-Wan cleared his throat.

"Of course! I'm very glad."

The courier briefly touched the ground, causing a commotion of metallic groans and whines as the lower part of the outer hull was suddenly skimmed off and the empty cargo compartment flattened. The ship hopped ahead several more meters before skidding along the grass a second time. Just as Obi-Wan thought it'd be the end for them, the land gave way and the ship flew off the top of a hill, straight into the lake with a loud crash. The ship's aerodynamically-designed nose plowed through the water before it was finally forced to stop by the lake's resistance. For just a few seconds, the courier remained suspended underwater, but it soon started to sink further into the depths, which grew too dark to see the lake's bottom.

"We're not going to be able to open the cockpit under the water's pressure," Qui-Gon warned them as he undid his seat's restraints. He reached into his robes and produced a rebreather.

"Gotcha," Ruta replied. She pressed a button on the console, but nothing happened. She kicked the console. "Blast! There's no power to depressurize!"

Qui-Gon braced himself atop the arms of his chair and took his lightsaber from his belt. He ignited its glowing, blue blade and stabbed through the cockpit's metal wall. The water outside the window began to boil rapidly as it was exposed to the weapon's energy. Obi-Wan and the pilot secured their own rebreathers in their mouths and took off their restraints. Once they were both standing on their seats, Qui-Gon dragged the lightsaber to the side slowly, allowing water to begin pouring in behind it. He pulled the lightsaber out and quickly slashed at the wall, carving a square hole in the side of the ship. Water rushed in around them.

Despite the dekaliters of cool water filling the cockpit, it was still noticeably warm from its contact with the lightsaber's energy when it leaked into Obi-Wan's boots. Qui-Gon secured his lightsaber back on his belt and the three waited until the water level was above the top of the hole he'd carved. With the added weight of the water, the ship began to sink even faster. Qui-Gon submerged his head and took hold of the sides of the hole to push himself out of the ship and into the open water. The other two followed his example and they began swimming for the surface.

By the time they reached the lakeshore, all three were winded from the effort. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan began to wring out the bottoms of their tunics. Each Jedi had their own variation on the basic design of the Jedi robes, but it was easy to pick a member of the Order out of a crowd. Obi-Wan's robes were very simple, loose garments that closely resembled those of his master, but while the older Jedi wore dark brown pants, his were the same color of beige as his tunic and long vest. Both garments were cinched at the waist by a simple cloth belt with a brown leatheris one on top, which held the hook their lightsabers rested on. As was customary for members of the Order when they left the cloistered safety of the Jedi Temple, both wore a loose, dark brown hooded cloak over it all. They removed their cloaks and draped them over rocks on the lakeshore so they could dry in the balmy sunlight.

Ruta stowed her rebreather in one of the pockets on her dark gray cargo pants. She removed her goggles, placing them atop her cap, just above the visor, and took a seat in the grass. She wore an off-white gray shirt and black boots which showed obvious signs of having been used for many years on end. Over the shirt, she wore a brown jacket. Additional pockets had been sewn into the inner lining of the jacket, providing many places to hide small objects from view.

Once she'd caught her breath, Ruta sighed in relief.

"I'm not sure what I thought I was signing up for when I took this job, but it definitely wasn't that," she said.

Obi-Wan looked over at her.

"Out of curiosity, why did you take it?" he asked. He shrugged. "It's a dangerous job. The Chancellor must have offered you a fortune, but it's not as if you can enjoy the credits when you're dead."

"Well, I don't have much else going for me right now," Ruta admitted dejectedly, "I mean, after I lost my ship betting on the Keren raceway, the only thing I could really do was offer to fly _other_ people's ships until I made enough to buy it back. The payment for this would mean that and then some so, it was kind of hard to refuse. Plus, I like to know it's for a good cause, right?"

"You care about the cause, do you?"

"If it means it'll get me a little favor with the big boys in the Galactic Senate, then yes," Ruta replied with a cheeky grin.

Obi-Wan kept himself from rolling his eyes. Qui-Gon cleared his throat and Ruta got to her feet.

"Not that I don't care about the queen's life or anything," she added quickly. "It's a tough job, ruling a planet with as many stuck up nobles as there are down here. Especially when you're only fourteen. Happy to help, you know?" She nodded at herself and brushed the grass off her pants.

"I'm sorry, fourteen?" Obi-Wan asked in disbelief, "the queen is only fourteen years old?"

"Yes?" Ruta replied.

Obi-Wan shrugged.

"How does a fourteen-year-old girl get elected queen of a planet?"

"That would be a question for the people of Naboo," Qui-Gon answered, "but as I hear, she has quite the talent for it. Chancellor Valorum described her as a child prodigy." He shook his head and gestured toward the cliff towering above them. "But it's something we can discuss later. Now, we should be focusing on getting her out of harm's way."

"Yes, Master."

Ruta nodded.

"Right, we should probably split up. If I go into the city alone, I won't attract as much attention. I'll be able to sneak in and get us another ship."

"Good thinking," Qui-Gon replied. He looked at his padawan. "We should be on our way to the palace."

Obi-Wan nodded and strained his neck to look up to the top of the enormous cliff. It was hard to see much beneath the layer of mist surrounding the waterfalls' bases, but he thought he caught a glimpse of the bottom of one watchtower.

"Is that the palace, directly above us?" he asked.

Qui-Gon looked up as well, using his hand to shield his eyes from the glare of the sun reflecting off the droplets of water around them.

"Yes, unfortunately," he replied. He pointed toward the top of the cliff and began to trace a path downward. "If we're careful, we may be able to scale the cliff. The Separatists would not expect that."

"Because it's impossible?" Ruta muttered.

Qui-Gon lowered his arm and looked at her.

"Difficult, but not impossible," he corrected her.

"Because the Force is with you?" she guessed.

Qui-Gon smiled patiently.

"Exactly."

Ruta nodded and took a deep breath through her nose, looking over the wall of rock above them.

"You, uh…if you think you can make it to the top before the end of the week, I wish you good luck. I'm going to head that way," she pointed to her left, "and climb up from the hill side."

"That'll take you further away from the hangar and you're unarmed," Obi-Wan pointed out.

"What?" Ruta looked down at her belt and noticed there was nothing in her holster. "My blaster!" she shrieked. She turned toward the lake and kicked sand at it. "I can't believe this!"

"There are alternatives to fighting," Qui-Gon reminded them both.

"Sure, but if these Separatists could be reasoned with, they wouldn't have ignored our hails and started shooting at us up there," Ruta grumbled.

"We were told to expect resistance."

Ruta shook her head and sighed dejectedly.

"I know, I know. I'll manage." She straightened her posture and grinned. "Besides, they're not looking for one little lady like me." She held up her comlink. "Call me when you're ready for a pickup," she said as she turned her back on them.

Obi-Wan looked to his master and raised both eyebrows.

"It's vital that we remain unnoticed," Qui-Gon told him, turning toward the cliff. "The Separatists don't know who we are or what we're capable of. With luck, they will assume we were killed in the crash, or are still trapped in our ship at the bottom of the lake. As long as they believe that, they have no reason to move the queen to a more secure location." He pulled his cloak back over his telltale Jedi robes and raised the hood over his head. "Keep to the rocks. We don't want to leave footprints if they decide to look for us down here." He began to skirt the lakeshore, heading toward the cliff side.

Obi-Wan put his cloak on and followed him.

"Where do you think they'll be keeping her now?" he asked.

"The most defensible location would be the palace, which is why it's the first place to look."

"Yes, well, that would make it too obvious, wouldn't it? They'd expect a rescue party to look there."

Qui-Gon stepped up on one of the larger rocks and used it to leap to a higher one.

"The Separatists wouldn't expect a rescue party," he said, "not this soon, anyway. The Chancellor did not consult the Senate before sending us here."

Obi-Wan climbed after him.

"Does that make this illegal?" he grunted.

"Valorum may be a politician, but he is not so out of touch as to think his career is more important than an entire planet's safety."

Obi-Wan laughed quietly to himself as he worked to keep up with his master. Qui-Gon climbed quickly, despite his apparent age. The speed and agility of a fully-trained Jedi were difficult to match. Luckily, Obi-Wan was nearing the end of his apprenticeship.

"It makes sense, then, that he would send you, Master," he shouted as he jumped over a gap between two ledges.

"I hope you mean because of my skill and reliability," Qui-Gon replied over the roar of the nearby falls.

"There is that," Obi-Wan agreed. He paused to hoist himself onto the next rock. "And there is what Master Yoda calls your 'defiance'," he concluded.

Qui-Gon chuckled.

"It may not be sanctioned by the Council, but it serves me well."

"Even if it keeps you from being chosen for a seat on the Council?"

"There are always sacrifices, regardless of which path you choose to follow."

Obi-Wan nodded to himself and decided to save his breath for the rest of the trek ahead of them. He looked toward the top of the cliff again to see they'd made more progress than he would've expected in the time they'd been climbing. Still, there was plenty of rock left to scale. It'd be arduous work, but he could easily see why his master thought the Separatists wouldn't be expecting them. It was a good idea, if they could keep up the pace.

~*~

Finally above the fog, Obi-Wan could see what he'd spotted before. It was a slender, cylindrical tower made of light beige bricks with a gray-green rounded roof. It'd been built on a ledge just below the top of the cliff, where another tower and the base of the palace wall sat. He wondered if there'd be Separatist lookouts stationed in those watchtowers. They might've seen the crash, but the cliff was too steep for anyone inside to see if they'd survived. At least, that was his hope.

The sun was beginning to set when Qui-Gon stopped hiking a few meters ahead of him, just above the ledge he was standing on. Obi-Wan estimated they'd been hiking up the cliff for at least two hours. Once atop the ledge, he stopped to look back. Several meters to his right, the wide waterfall was pouring down into the thick mist. Most of the lake was hidden by the mist, but he could see where the far end of it turned into the great expanse of green that was the grasslands. He spotted the scar of exposed dirt where the ship had skidded into the water. It was just a dark line from that distance. He turned back around to watch his master, who seemed fixated on the cliff side next to him.

"Master, is everything alright?" he asked.

"Yes, better than alright," Qui-Gon replied, "come over here, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan did as he was told, climbing up onto the next ledge so he could stand beside his master. There was an opening in the cliff, barely big enough for a man to walk through. It was dark inside, too dark see where or how far the tunnel went.

"I don't understand," Obi-Wan said, "does this lead into the city somehow?"

Qui-Gon pointed at the opening.

"What can you sense?"

Obi-Wan reached within his mind to touch the ever-present entity of the Force. He could sense it at all times, but not as strongly as he did when he focused on it. He'd always admired Jedi Master Yoda, who could sense even the faintest ripple in the Force at any given time.

After he'd concentrated on the Force in him, he could sense it all around him, in the rock of the cliff face, in his master beside him, and in the cave before him. He focused on the cave. It continued ahead of him for several meters, before breaking off into four different forks, each leading to even more forks, which led to more forks. The tangled span of the cave system was overwhelming. He blocked it out. He knew they needed to proceed ahead, then up. Any path that didn't lead in that direction was irrelevant. He quickly reached with his enhanced senses toward the paths that met his requirements. There were five different tunnels that possibly went to the surface close by. He withdrew himself from the cave system and turned his head to look at Qui-Gon.

"There are so many," he murmured.

Qui-Gon nodded.

"Focus your senses on what we need," he advised.

Obi-Wan nodded back.

"Yes, I sensed several paths we could use to enter the city," he said, "but I don't see why they wouldn't be blocked off. It makes the city vulnerable, doesn't it?"

"Mapping every tunnel would take a very long time," Qui-Gon pointed out, "Naboo is a porous planet, covered in natural caves like this one. I'm sure the royal guard has mapped out several sections of it, but they would never be able to locate them all. Hopefully, we'll come across one of the tunnels they marked as an escape route."

Qui-Gon ducked slightly to avoid a low-hanging rock as he entered the cave. Obi-Wan was dubious about the success of his chosen approach, but he'd learned a long time ago to trust in his master's judgment. He put his concerns aside and followed him into the darkness of the tunnel.

"Keep alert," Qui-Gon told him, "this isn't a smooth surface to walk on."

"Yes, Master."

As he walked, Obi-Wan focused most of his attention on the cave's floor, relying on the Force to guide his steps. He could hear his master was making quicker progress than he was, but didn't allow it to distract him. Several minutes in, he was comfortable enough to split his focus between choosing his steps and keeping up with Qui-Gon. Once he was able to match his speed, the two Jedi hiked through the cave system quickly.

After about twenty minutes, Obi-Wan heard his master stop. His senses aided by the Force, he could almost see Qui-Gon take a tentative step forward into a tunnel that intersected the one they stood in. As the sole of his boot touched the ground, the tunnel slowly lit up. Obi-Wan blinked in the unexpected light, then looked where the light was coming from to see a small glowing bar installed in the wall at about waist-height.

"We're on the right track," Qui-Gon murmured.

Obi-Wan moved forward to peek into the intersecting tunnel. It continued upward at a sharp angle in one direction, and gradually dribbled downward in the other. The walls and floors had been ground down to create a smooth, uniformly wide tunnel. The ground had several patterns carved into it for traction while a metal bar lined the steep incline for support.

"One of the escape tunnels you mentioned, Master?" he asked.

"Most likely, yes." Qui-Gon proceeded upward. "Keep close."

Obi-Wan complied as they rushed up the tunnel's ascent. When they walked near them, more lights would flicker on to light their way. They passed many tunnels that branched off of the lit path, leading away into other sections of the cave system. The shaft opened up once into a large cavern that couldn't be completely lit by the tiny bars, but the designated path ignored it completely, leading them across it and back into another tunnel.

"You could hide an entire civilization in these tunnels," Obi-Wan mused.

Qui-Gon looked around them at the great expanse of still darkness.

"I wouldn't be surprised if there was one somewhere down here," he agreed.

Obi-Wan chose not to think about his master being right. The last thing they needed at that time was to be swarmed by mole people.

The two Jedi sped along until they were finally forced to stop in front of a plain metal door. Qui-Gon stepped to the side and placed his hand on the wall next to the door. Obi-Wan felt along the other side of the door until he located a small, unmarked button, but didn't press it. He glanced over at his master, who had his eyes closed. After waiting a few seconds, Qui-Gon opened his eyes and nodded at Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan pressed the button.

Three droids armed with blasters looked up when Qui-Gon emerged from the hole in the wall. They were beige in color, with red markings, and shaped like incredibly scrawny humanoids with long, angular heads. Obi-Wan rushed through the open door behind him and swung his green-bladed lightsaber downward, slicing one through its head. Qui-Gon cut the barrel off a second droid's carbine. The third droid raised its blaster and fired. With a flick of his wrist, Obi-Wan deflected the bolt off the blade of his lightsaber and back into the droid's metal chest.

"Oh," the remaining droid said in its robotic voice.

Qui-Gon finished it off by slicing it in half. The two Jedi flicked their lightsabers off and placed them back on their belts.

"Only three?" Obi-Wan asked no one in particular, looking over the scrap metal.

Qui-Gon twisted back and closed the escape tunnel door, which vanished seamlessly into the beige wall of the palace hallway.

"Do you notice anything strange about these droids?" he asked.

Obi-Wan nudged one of the droids' arms with the toe of his boot.

"They're unusual," he said, "they look like Trade Federation security droids, just painted a little differently. Their weapons are those of soldiers, like they've been converted for battle."

Qui-Gon nodded and proceeded down the hall.

"Curious," Obi-Wan continued while following his master, "why would there be Trade Federation droids on Naboo? Are they helping the Separatists?"

"A logical conclusion," Qui-Gon commented. "Logical, but dangerous. The Trade Federation is a powerful economic force in the Republic. If they lent their funds and, in this case, droids to the Separatists' cause, it would mean this uprising could be bigger than anyone in the Senate is aware. The Jedi Council, as well."

"If the Trade Federation is involved in this invasion, we should find proof of it," Obi-Wan suggested, "once they're dealt with, it will discourage anyone else from trying to benefit from treason."

"If we can, we will," Qui-Gon replied, "but our primary concern is rescuing the queen and we can't risk her safety by putting off our escape to gather more information."

"Yes, of course, Master."

The two Jedi stopped abruptly when they heard the clacking of droid feet on the stone floor of the hallway that intersected the one they were traversing, only a few meters ahead of where they stood. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon quickly dashed forward to the wall to their left and pressed their backs against it. Obi-Wan put his hand on the hilt of his lightsaber while Qui-Gon inched forward until he was at the corner.

"I heard talking that way," a droid voice announced.

"Ahead or in your head?" another droid replied in a slightly lower tone.

"I'm not programmed to be crazy."

"There's a patrol in that hall. They can hear us talking too."

Qui-Gon glanced back at Obi-Wan, who raised one eyebrow.

"We should take a look," the higher-pitched voice stated.

"Negative!" the second droid declared, "Our orders are to guard the throne room. You are programmed to follow your orders."

"Fine."

Qui-Gon glanced back again and gestured for his apprentice to come closer.

"I guess we know where the throne room is," Obi-Wan whispered once he'd complied.

Qui-Gon took a peek around the corner, then looked back at Obi-Wan.

"Stay close," he whispered, "we can't risk raising an alarm now."

The Jedi Master dashed around the corner, into the intersecting hall with Obi-Wan close on his heels. He zipped over to the hallway's right wall and pointed ahead. Obi-Wan could see the hall continued for several meters before a pair of wide, round columns marked the location of an enormous set of double doors in an alcove against the wall they were standing beside. Two droids were standing by the columns, but had yet to notice the quick Jedi. Another three-droid squad was patrolling the hall, walking away from where the two Jedi stood. The electric hum of an energy field suggested there was a shield active nearby.

Qui-Gon slowly crept forward, keeping a distance of five meters between himself and the droid patrol as they made their way toward the columns. Once the three droids of the patrol were directly in front of the two guarding the alcove, Qui-Gon sprang into action, igniting his lightsaber as he leapt up behind the closest of the droids. He sliced it in half horizontally, then cut another down before it could react. Close behind him, Obi-Wan destroyed a third by stabbing it through its droid brain. The remaining two droids brought their blasters up.

From their position, Obi-Wan could see into the alcove, which had been mostly hidden by the enormous columns before. A different kind of droid with three stubby legs, an arched body, and two arms equipped with rapid-fire blasters awaited them. The energized hum was louder there and Obi-Wan could see why: a shimmering bubble of light blue surrounded the new droid, an obvious energy shield. It also trained its weapons on the Jedi.

"Master, a droideka!" he exclaimed.

Qui-Gon saw it as well and turned so all three droids were in front of him. The droideka opened fire on him. Aided by the Force, he was able to deflect the blaster bolts off his lightsaber, but Obi-Wan could see it wasn't easy. The blasters the droideka wielded allowed it to send a constant shower of bolts at his master and the deflected bolts were absorbed harmlessly in the droideka's shield.

Obi-Wan glanced at the remaining two droids and saw they were prepared to focus on Qui-Gon as well. Had his master been holding two lightsabers, he might've been able to handle it, but no Jedi, no matter how in touch with the Force he was, could block attacks from three directions at once with a single lightsaber. Obi-Wan trusted his master to keep the droideka at bay while he ran out from behind him and sliced through both arms of one of the droids. Its blaster carbine fell to the floor and Obi-Wan used the Force to shove the droid away from it while swiping his lightsaber's blade out to decapitate the second droid.

"Obi-Wan!" he heard his master shout.

Obi-Wan spun around just in time to deflect a shower of blaster bolts meant for his torso. With the droideka's two blasters focused on separate targets, the onslaught was definitely less ferocious, but it was enough to keep both Jedi on the defensive.

From the corner of his eye, Obi-Wan spotted the disabled droid getting back on its feet. It may have been unable to pick up a blaster, but it could alert the Separatists to their presence. He focused on one of the incoming blaster bolts in particular and angled his lightsaber with a quick flick of the wrist. The bolt ricocheted off the energized blade of the lightsaber and nailed the disabled droid in its chest.

"Good!" Qui-Gon shouted over the noise of the droideka's fire.

"What about the shield?" Obi-Wan replied through clenched teeth as he worked hard to keep from getting shot.

"The columns!"

Obi-Wan blocked one last blaster bolt before ducking behind the closest column, the one to the doors' left. Qui-Gon jumped behind the other. Obi-Wan heard the droideka's metal feet clack on the floor as it advanced out of the alcove. He peeked around the column to see it turn toward where Qui-Gon had taken cover. He waited until it had the Jedi Master in its sights to leap out from behind it and bring his lightsaber down on its shield. The Jedi weapon swiped through the energy shield with little resistance before slicing the droideka's shield generator in two. The droideka began to turn around, but it was incredibly slow on its nubby legs. Obi-Wan had no trouble cutting its upper half off. Qui-Gon switched his lightsaber off as he came to stand beside his apprentice and the fallen droideka.

"Very good, Obi-Wan," he said.

Obi-Wan let out a sigh of relief.

"We're lucky there weren't two of them," he said.

Qui-Gon nodded his agreement.

"Personal shield generators are ridiculously expensive," he said, "the Separatists would not have been able to afford them without the help of the Trade Federation."

"With these droidekas on Naboo, the Senate will find all the proof they need of the viceroy's treachery," Obi-Wan commented.

"If the Senate is able to stop its arguing long enough to approve military action against the blockade, yes. Still, I'm sure the viceroy is confident they won't for a very long time."

Obi-Wan sighed again and turned to face the double doors.

"Well," Qui-Gon began, starting toward the door, "at least we'll have the queen safe soon. The Separatists will never get this planet to surrender without her consent."

"How could one person keep the whole planet from surrendering?" Obi-Wan asked.

Qui-Gon touched the door and briefly sized it up.

"It's the power of a people's love and loyalty," he replied, "not all rulers are capable of earning that in such a short time."

He reached over and touched the door's control panel. The panel bleeped obnoxiously and flashed red.

"Worth a try," Obi-Wan stated.

Qui-Gon switched his weapon on again and jabbed the blue beam of energy into the door. As he twisted, molten metal began to plop onto the floor in clumps. Obi-Wan turned to face the hall, his lightsaber still in hand. He slid into a defensive stance and waited. Qui-Gon slowly dragged his lightsaber through the door. He stopped and looked at what he'd cut so far.

"These blast doors are much thicker than I thought," he muttered for Obi-Wan's benefit before starting again. He worked slower, taking long enough for the lightsaber's heat to melt through the layers of metal it wasn't long enough to cut directly.

Obi-Wan continued to wait, but nothing came after them. He guessed the Separatists still didn't know they'd made it as far as they had. Once Qui-Gon cut enough of the door for them to get through, he proceeded inside. Obi-Wan followed him, careful to avoid the molten metal of the hole's rough edges. 


	2. The Girl From Naboo

Obi-Wan emerged from the hole in the meter-thick blast door to find himself standing in an enormous room. It wasn't nearly as big as the main hall of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, but it was larger than he'd expected. Two wide pillars stood at either side of the door, while columns lined the perimeter of the elliptical chamber in even intervals. Enormous windows stretched from floor to ceiling between the columns on either side of the room. The front and back walls, however, were solid, aside from the blast door they'd cut through. The amount of natural light filtering into the room made Obi-Wan feel as if he were outside again.

Toward the center of the room was a large throne designed with the same rounded feel as the exterior of the palace. A girl in a long red and black dress sat upon it, her face covered in white makeup with dark red lipstick, as was traditional on her planet. Her dark brown hair had been put up in a complicated style, displaying her lofty political position as the planet's elected queen.

A man with dark skin and hair stood beside the throne, his hands clasped behind his back. He wore a long blue jacket covered in a dark red leatheris vest and a black belt as part of his Nabooian guard uniform. The long gloves he wore over his jacket's sleeves matched the color of his vest. His red cap had a metal band stretched across the front above the visor with an emblem in its center. The guard uniform was completed by a pair of black pants and boots.

Obi-Wan didn't have long to admire the opulence of the throne room and its occupants. Once his master had taken a step toward the throne, four turrets popped out from behind hidden beige panels in the ceiling.

"Take cover, you two," Qui-Gon shouted to the queen and her guard.

The sound of the turrets all firing at once was deafening. Obi-Wan ducked to avoid a shot he was too busy to block and allowed one of the bolts he was able to deflect to ricochet off his blade and back at the turret that'd shot it. Qui-Gon destroyed two in the same manner, drawing the attention of the fourth sliced turret. Qui-Gon reflected the blaster fire effortlessly.

Just as the last of the four turrets exploded into shrapnel, two more presented themselves from positions closer to the throne itself. These two were much larger in size and equipped with two blasters each. Red lights on the machines' underbellies blinked on. The two Jedi quickly took cover behind one of the throne room's wide pillars.

"My guess is those lights are a security alert," Qui-Gon told his apprentice.

"It's about time they realized we were here, Master," Obi-Wan said, "I was beginning to wonder how people this incompetent managed to invade this planet in the first place."

"Careful with that attitude, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon replied, "Naboo has no army, only security officers. I'm sure they fought bravely, but they would've been no match for the sheer number of droids at the Trade Federation's disposal."

Obi-Wan nodded and waited for the stream of blaster fire to break briefly so the turrets' guns could cool. He could hear by the sound of it that one had stopped firing while the other maintained the assault. He knew it was the best break he could hope for and stepped out into the open again. Having thought the same thing, Qui-Gon joined him. The two turrets were forced to split their focus between the two Jedi and, as a result, failed to break through their defenses. They were able to deflect many of the shots, but the turrets were unaffected.

"Their armor is too strong," Obi-Wan declared.

"We'll need to concentrate the fire," Qui-Gon replied.

"How?"

Qui-Gon stretched his hand out at the one closest to him and harnessed the power of the Force. The turret's barrel whipped around to point at its fellow. Before the turret's sensors could detect the error, it reduced the other turret to a smoking wreck through a shower of bolts. Qui-Gon released the turret and it turned back around to shoot at him, which he dodged. Once he'd recovered, he brought his lightsaber up to send a series of bolts back at the turret. Again, they failed to penetrate its armor.

"Master, target its support stalk!" Obi-Wan suggested over the noise of the blaster fire.

Qui-Gon angled his blade so the next group of shots slammed into the ceiling around the turret. He adjusted his aim until one of the high-powered energy bolts obliterated the rod of metal that secured the turret to the ceiling. The machine crashed to the floor. Obi-Wan leapt forward and jabbed his lightsaber's blade through it, finishing it off.

Queen Amidala and the guard emerged from their hiding place behind the throne and the two Jedi switched their lightsabers off to meet them. Once they were in front of them, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan bowed at their waists.

"Your highness," Qui-Gon greeted the queen. "My name is Qui-Gon Jinn, Knight of the Jedi Order," he gestured at Obi-Wan, "and this is my padawan learner, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Supreme Chancellor Valorum tasked us with bringing you to safety."

"Thank you for your efforts, Master Qui-Gon," she replied. She looked at the guard to her right.

"I'm Quarsh Panaka, Captain of the Royal Guard," the uniformed man informed them, "Her highness and I are indebted to you and your padawan."

Qui-Gon bowed again.

"I'm sorry to cut this short, but the Separatists must know we're here by now," he said, "our pilot should be in the hangar, securing a new ship as we speak." He turned to head toward the exit with the others on his tail.

"You don't already have a ship?" Captain Panaka asked.

"We…sort of crashed it," Obi-Wan answered, trying to smile again but only managing a crooked half smile.

"Is this pilot of yours any good? I won't trust the safety of the queen in incapable hands," Panaka declared.

"She is very talented, and motivated by a large amount of credits. She will get us off Naboo safely, if it's at all possible," Qui-Gon assured him.

Queen Amidala stopped in her tracks.

"We're leaving Naboo?" she asked.

Qui-Gon stopped and turned around to face her.

"Yes, of course. You'll be safe in the Senate Tower on Coruscant."

"I will not leave my people in their time of need," the queen insisted. She gestured around her. "When the people of this planet elected me as their ruler, I took a vow to serve them to the best of my ability. Leaving this planet during a full-on occupation would be an abandonment of that vow."

"My queen, as your guard captain, I must insist that we accompany the Jedi," Panaka argued, "it's my duty to keep you safe and you're not safe here."

"I will not abandon my people," Queen Amidala repeated.

Obi-Wan considered what Qui-Gon had said earlier about the people's loyalty to their beloved queen.

"I beg your pardon, your highness, but I'm sure your people would rest easier knowing you're safe," he pointed out.

Panaka nodded.

"Yes, the Naboo are proud. With the two of us imprisoned here, the Separatists ensured that the people would not revolt. They wouldn't risk your safety. If we were to disappear from their custody, your people would be free to resist the occupation."

The queen sighed, her consternation showing on her usually serene face.

"It's true. They would not take this assault lying down." She shook her head.

"The Senate will need to hear of your experiences here as well, your highness," Qui-Gon pointed out, "we've already seen the Trade Federation is involved. If you were to speak before the Senate, perhaps they would approve an inquiry. Once the viceroy is arrested for treason, the Separatists will be robbed of their funding."

"I would ask for more than an inquiry. This occupation must end," the queen declared.

"I agree, and you would be in a better position to demand military action were you to be in front of the Senate on Coruscant," Qui-Gon replied.

"You make a good point, Master Qui-Gon. Perhaps this is the best way I may serve my people," the queen admitted. She quickly recovered from the look of resignation on her face and straightened her posture. She pressed forward, past Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon. "But before we leave, I insist that we free my handmaidens and bring them with us."

"Your highness, we don't have much time," Qui-Gon warned her, walking faster to catch up with her.

"I assure you, Master Jedi, that this is important. I would not waste our time otherwise. We will need them."

Try as he might, Obi-Wan couldn't see why. There were, of course, many things he didn't know about the life of a queen. Perhaps a handmaidens' job description on Naboo involved more than helping their mistress dress and serving her whatever she required.

"You won't win this argument," Captain Panaka warned Qui-Gon in a half-whisper.

"Very well, we'll see what we can do," the Jedi Master relented. He rushed ahead of the queen to check the hall outside. "Do you know where they're being held?"

"Approximately," Panaka replied, "I'd know more if we managed to seize the control room, but that'll be a gamble."

"Master, the longer we stay, the more likely we are to come across more of those droidekas," Obi-Wan whispered, "If they weren't shielded, I wouldn't worry, but we may not always be able to distract them like we did before."

Qui-Gon opened his mouth to reply, but shut it again when the rhythmic metallic clacking of multiple metal feet echoed from one of the other halls.

"If we're to have any chance of freeing the handmaidens, we'll need another escape route," he said.

Queen Amidala turned around to gesture at the throne room's back wall.

"There is an escape tunnel, in the back wall," she explained.

Captain Panaka rushed out into the hall and paused by the fallen guard droids to pick up their blasters, then retreated back inside the throne room. He tossed one to the queen and started back toward the throne.

"This way," he said. Once he'd reached the throne, Panaka stopped and reached toward a console built into the arm of the chair. He flipped a switch and a small panel just behind the console slid open. He pointed to the wall. "Go; it won't stay open long," he said, "you'll need to hold it open from the panel on the other side to let me through after you."

Qui-Gon nodded at him respectfully and led the others to the wall. Once they were before it, the hidden door revealed itself and they slipped through. Queen Amidala stopped just inside the door and slid her hand along the wall until she found the panel.

"Now, Captain," she called.

Panaka released the hidden button and joined them on the other side of the wall. Once he was through, the queen took her hand off the panel and the door slid shut behind them. They found themselves in a dimly-lit tunnel that continued forward for five meters before ending in what appeared to be a dead end.

"This tunnel isn't on any blueprints or maps of the palace," Panaka informed them as he pressed onward, "only the monarch and the guard captain are aware of its existence. It will take the Separatists a while to find us again."

"We'll need every second," Obi-Wan muttered.

"The control room will be heavily guarded," Qui-Gon pointed out.

"Yes, and I would rather not risk the queen's life in that manner," Panaka replied.

"We shouldn't need to take the control room," the queen interjected, "the Separatists have converted some of the larger ballrooms into prison camps. One of their officers tried to taunt me with it."

"Right, I'm sure they'd be holding the maidens in one of those camps," Panaka concluded, "my assumption would be somewhere in the left wing. All the rooms are connected to one hallway, so it'd be easy to guard."

"Then that's where we're headed." Qui-Gon stepped out into the open of the next hallway, Obi-Wan close behind him.

As they might've expected, the hall was empty after the patrols were drawn to the throne room. Panaka took the lead and escorted them to the left. They worked their way through the palace quickly, unhindered by guards or patrols until they got nearer to the left wing of the palace, where the captain claimed the prison camps were located. They stopped before entering the last hallway, where they could hear patrolling droids as well as the sound of boots on the stone floor.

"How many camps are there to search?" Qui-Gon inquired in a whisper.

"There are three sizeable chambers connected to this hallway that the Separatists might've used," the captain whispered back. "They'll still be guarded, but I'm sure most of the droids were sent out to search for us. Judging by the size of the rooms, my guess would be about four or five droids per chamber, and perhaps four more in the hallway, accompanied by at least one Separatist commander to relay orders and communications from their 'general', or whatever they want to call that treacherous-," he stopped himself from finishing the thought and glanced at his queen. "Wretch," he concluded, though it was obvious the insult wasn't his first choice.

Qui-Gon stepped around Captain Panaka to peek down the hallway ahead of them. He quickly drew back.

"Only two droids in the hall ahead, and one Twi'lek," he quietly informed the others, "perhaps that commander you mentioned?"

"They sent more off after us than I thought, then…odd," Panaka murmured.

"I sense an unusual amount of fear, Master," Obi-Wan commented.

"As do I, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon replied, "it's very possible they may know we're Jedi by now."

"I'm not sure it's us they fear," Obi-Wan continued, "I've never sensed this much fear directed toward us before."

"We've also never faced a full rebellion before," Qui-Gon reminded him.

"Yes, you're right, Master," his apprentice conceded, "but I can't erase the feeling that something very wrong is going to happen in the future."

"Keep your thoughts on the present for now, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon warned him. "You can bring your worries to Master Yoda when we get to Coruscant."

"Is it wise to ignore something like that, Master Jedi?" Queen Amidala asked.

"There is nothing we can do to address it at this moment," Qui-Gon replied.

"We should focus on the task at hand," Panaka added.

The queen gave Obi-Wan a quick nod, then turned her attention to Qui-Gon.

"Master Qui-Gon, if the commander were to realize we are accompanied by Jedi, he may order his droids to surrender," she suggested.

"Yes, and with him alive, he may spread the news of the Order's involvement," Panaka pointed out, "the Separatists' morale will take a serious blow."

"The Jedi do not deliberately use fear to force submission," Qui-Gon replied, "neither are they soldiers. We cannot resolve this war for the Republic."

"The Separatists don't need to know that," the captain argued, "besides, with power like yours, you can hardly expect people not to fear you."

Qui-Gon sighed.

"If it will help to stop this rebellion without further loss of life I won't condemn it," he admitted.

"Are you sure, Master?" Obi-Wan murmured, "the Council would be furious if they heard you say that."

"I understand your trepidation, Obi-Wan, but unless we were to cut the man's tongue from his mouth, we can't control what he might say about us."

Obi-Wan nodded, feeling just a little foolish for not realizing that himself.

Qui-Gon reached under his cloak and unhooked the hilt of his lightsaber from his belt.

"Stay behind us," he said, "we will be able to keep the blaster fire away from you if they resort to it." He looked at Captain Panaka. "Both of you."

"I won't argue with you on that," Panaka replied.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan kept their lightsabers hidden under their cloaks as they turned the corner. The two droids and their Twi'lek commander only stared, obviously unsure what to make of the two oddly-dressed men approaching them so brazenly. Their hesitation ceased when Captain Panaka and Queen Amidala fell in behind them.

"Halt!" the Twi'lek shouted at them, brandishing his blaster pistol.

"I am a Knight of the Jedi Order," Qui-Gon told him sternly, "stand down and there will be no need for violence."

The Twi'lek shifted his footing, but didn't lower his weapon.

"I…don't believe you," he stated, obviously trying to appear more confident than he really was.

"Then perhaps you will believe this," Qui-Gon replied, lifting his lightsaber hilt out from under his cloak. He ignited it. "Stand down."

The commander continued to point his blaster at Qui-Gon. He was obviously panicked, trying to think of something to say. Obi-Wan decided to help him along by switching on his own lightsaber. The Twi'lek blanched and dropped his pistol.

"Stand down," he ordered the droids, raising his hands.

The droids raised their blaster carbines in Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon's direction.

"I said stand down!"

"Negative," the droid to his left replied.

The Twi'lek backed away, his hands still raised, until his back hit the wall behind him. The droids began to advance.

"We'll disable the droids, that's all," Qui-Gon said to Obi-Wan, "try not to hit the Separatist."

"Yes, Master."

The droids opened fire, but none of their shots got past the two Jedis' lightsabers. The queen and Captain Panaka stepped slightly to either side in order to shoot around their defenders. The two droids went down almost immediately. Obi-Wan was surprised to see how accurate a shot the queen was, despite her age and position. With the droids taken care of, the group of four advanced quickly and stopped in front of the Twi'lek commander.

"I'm sorry, Master Jedi," the Twi'lek sputtered nervously, "I don't know why they didn't follow my orders! I wanted to surrender!"

"Calm yourself," Qui-Gon told him, "we won't hurt you."

"Yes, yes, thank you, Master Jedi! I didn't want to hurt these people, I swear."

Queen Amidala stepped around Qui-Gon to face the Separatist.

"Tell me where my handmaidens are being kept and perhaps you might redeem yourself," she said.

The Twi'lek nodded and pointed to the door in the middle of the hallway that led to the second chamber. Captain Panaka stepped forward from behind Obi-Wan.

"I'll keep an eye on him," he said.

Qui-Gon gave him a quick nod and rushed off to the middle door with Obi-Wan and the queen. He pressed his hand to the panel on the wall and, this time, the door opened without complaint. Inside, five droids turned their backs on the group of approximately fifteen well-dressed prisoners they'd been guarding.

"Halt," one of the droids ordered.

Six young women in identical orange robes stood up behind the droids. The girls each reached into the folds of their dresses and produced short rods. The five closest to the guard droids strode up to them and pressed the ends of the rods to their backs. The droids convulsed violently before collapsing to the ground with a series of loud clacks. The six young women walked over to the two Jedi and their queen, then bowed. Obi-Wan had to admit to himself that he was impressed by their efficiency. The girls all wore orange scarves over their heads, partially hiding their features, but Obi-Wan noticed they all appeared about the same age, all with dark brown hair. He didn't know whether to think of it as a coincidence or not. The other well-dressed nobles who'd been held prisoner in the room sensed the danger was over and got up to flee the room.

"Your highness, I hope you are unharmed," the foremost of the girls said once they'd moved away from the crowd rushing through the open door.

Queen Amidala approached the young women and nodded.

"I'm fine, Sabé. Are any of you injured?"

"No, your highness," Sabé replied, "the Separatists didn't see us as a threat."

"They didn't even think to search us for weapons," one of the other girls added, smiling.

"Good," Amidala replied briskly. She turned to gesture at Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. "These Jedi Knights are taking us to Coruscant. We need to hurry."

The six girls bowed their heads in unison.

"Contact Miss Vostana, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said as he turned toward the door.

"Yes, Master." Obi-Wan followed Qui-Gon and the seven young women out into the hall as he reached into his robes to retrieve his comlink. Captain Panaka awaited them, standing next to the Separatist, who'd been securely tied up. Obi-Wan watched five of the handmaidens pick up the blaster carbines littered around the deactivated droids before raising the comlink to his face. "Ruta? This is Obi-Wan."

"Shh!" the comlink hissed back at him, "more patrols here than I thought."

Panaka handed the last handmaiden the Twi'lek's blaster pistol.

"We have the queen with us," Obi-Wan whispered, "but I'm guessing you don't have the ship yet?"

"Is that a jab?" Ruta demanded in a hoarse whisper.

"No, no, just…a poorly-phrased question," Obi-Wan replied quietly.

"Well, I'll have a ship soon, but I won't be able to linger at all," Ruta explained, "the droids here are flitting around like a swarm of mynocks. You must've really stirred them up. Anyway, it was hard enough sneaking in here by myself, so I suggest you two get the queen out of the city where I can pick you up safely."

"I'll let my master know." Obi-Wan put the comlink back on his belt.

Qui-Gon approached him.

"I take it things aren't going well," he said quietly.

"Ruta said we should escape the city, where she can pick us up without the Separatists around," Obi-Wan replied.

Qui-Gon glanced at Captain Panaka, who was heading toward them.

"It shouldn't be too difficult," the Jedi Master said.

Panaka stopped next to them and looked at Qui-Gon critically.

"Is there a problem?" he asked.

"We're going to meet our pilot outside the city," Qui-Gon replied calmly, "somewhere the ship can land to pick us up."

"I'd suggest the plains, but it'd be easy to follow us there," Obi-Wan muttered.

"The jungle, then," Panaka contributed," at least, to lose the droids. We'll find a clearing once they're off our backs."

"How far have you mapped the natural caverns?" Qui-Gon asked.

Captain Panaka nodded.

"Far enough. There's an entrance to the underground tunnels in the palace courtyard. That'll be the closest one."

"Then we'll follow your lead." Qui-Gon stopped talking and turned around when the whirling sound of something heavy and metal rolling across a stone floor echoed out from one of the other hallways nearby. He immediately plucked his lightsaber off his belt and gestured down the opposite end of the hall.

"Droidekas," Obi-Wan warned the others, taking his lightsaber out as well.

"Obi-Wan, get the queen and her people away from here," Qui-Gon ordered him.

"Master Jedi, the lift to the courtyard is in that direction," Panaka pointed out urgently.

Obi-Wan stepped in front of him, between the captain and his master and ushered him away.

"We'll find another way, Captain," he assured him, walking him back to the others, "for now, we need to vanish."

Captain Panaka nodded his acknowledgment and took the lead. Obi-Wan, the queen, and her handmaidens hurried after him.

"There's another lift toward the center of the palace," he said as he walked, "we'll head toward the rear and the living quarters, then around to the front. That should get the droids off our tail long enough for us to escape into the courtyard."

"There's a tunnel entrance near the throne room, Captain," Obi-Wan reminded him, "that'd be the closest one now that we're cut off from the yard."

"True, but I'm sure the Separatists will be combing that area thoroughly," Panaka replied, "they'll want to know how you two got in here without being spotted."

"Fair enough."

Queen Amidala interjected, "he won't be able to hold off the Separatists' droids indefinitely."

"My master knows his limits; he'll escape the droidekas as soon as he's sure he's given us enough time," Obi-Wan promised her.

Captain Panaka turned his head back to look at the queen.

"Your concern for others is one of your greatest virtues, your highness, but right now you must think about your own safety first," he cautioned her.

Queen Amidala glanced at Obi-Wan briefly, just long enough for him to see concern wrinkling the features underneath her heavy makeup, then turned her attention back to the guard captain. She started walking faster to better keep up with him. Obi-Wan smiled, despite their desperate surroundings. Although he'd been around politicians often enough while living on Coruscant, it was the first time he'd found himself starting to genuinely like one of them.

~*~

Qui-Gon Jinn positioned himself between the approaching droidekas and his allies as they made their hasty retreat. Mere seconds after the group had disappeared from the hallway, two metal balls rolled into sight at the other end of the hall. The orbs rapidly unfurled themselves, transforming into two droidekas a split second before their shield generators kicked into effect. Qui-Gon took a mental note of the time gap between transformation and shield activation. He ignited his blue lightsaber just as they began to fire on him.

From a distance, the droidekas were noticeably less accurate. Of the many blaster bolts they fired in Qui-Gon's direction, very few actually managed to reach him. He deflected them with ease. As they fired, the two droids slowly crept toward him on their tiny legs. He estimated he had several minutes before they would pose any real threat. He could spare those minutes for the sake of the queen and her escorts.

Qui-Gon allowed the Force to guide his blade as he took quick glances around him to survey his options for when it came time to escape. The wall to his left held all the doors leading to the prison camp chambers. If the rooms were identical to the one they'd pulled the handmaidens from, there was only one door. To his right, the wall was lined with tall, wide windows with decorated frames. Through them, he could see they led to a sheer drop. He made his decision and returned his gaze to the coming threat. He heard one of the prison camp doors slide open beside him and decided it was time to leave.

While the droidekas where still too far down the hall to keep him from turning away, Qui-Gon sidestepped closer to the nearest of the large windows and slashed his blade through the transparisteel, causing it to crack. He paused briefly to deflect fire from the guard droids that'd entered the hallway, drawn by the noise. Once he had the chance, he took one hand off his lightsaber to shoot his palm out in the window's direction, sending a wave of Force energy into it. The transparisteel burst outward and the Jedi Master rushed out onto the ledge just outside the window frame, where he sidled over to the solid wall between the broken window and the one right next to it. He stowed his lightsaber back under his cloak.

Below him, another side of the enormous cliff he and Obi-Wan had scaled to reach the natural caves continued straight downward before ending in the grassland's rolling hills. The wind whipped his hair and his robes about him violently, but he ignored the annoyance. Qui-Gon carefully leaned forward to look down and saw another line of windows, revealing another hallway on the floor below.

The droidekas' blaster fire shattered the window beside him and he threw his arm up to shield his face from the shrapnel. He felt several pieces pelt the outer layer of his cloak's loose sleeves, but nothing managed to cut through to his flesh. Without delay, he stepped off the ledge.

The air protested against him as he fell freely. He held both arms out in front of him and caught the ledge, abruptly halting his fall. He placed the soles of his boots against the wall beneath him and pushed up, launching himself high enough to get a knee onto the ledge. He pulled himself up to safety and stood on a precarious edge as he drew his lightsaber again. He rapidly cut his way through the window, then jumped through and onto the solid surface of the palace's bottom floor.

Three droids, accompanied by one gray-haired, angry-looking man, turned to face him, their blasters ready. Qui-Gon shoved them against the wall with a burst of Force energy, knocking the man's weapon out of his hands. Lacking traction on the slick stone floor, two of the droids fell down while the man's knees buckled and he had to regain his balance. The remaining droid, which had managed to stay on its feet, fired at him. He sent it back with a flick of his lightsaber blade and the droid's small head burst into debris.

Qui-Gon rushed forward and chopped vital pieces off the other two droids, rendering them useless. He stopped in front of the man, who'd finally managed to keep his footing. He was already crouching to pick up his blaster. Qui-Gon put the lightsaber to the side of his head, singing the ends of his gray hair.

"Surrender and no harm will come to you," he stated clearly.

"I'd rather feed you my blaster, Republic dog," the man hissed at him.

"Very well."

Qui-Gon whipped the blade up and thwhacked the man's skull with the base of his hilt. The man toppled face-down on the floor, unconscious. Qui-Gon kicked his blaster away for good measure and rushed onward in the direction he assumed would lead him to the palace's main entrance.

~*~

Obi-Wan sliced through a line of droids that'd positioned themselves between the queen's entourage and the central lift. Panaka, the queen, and the handmaidens opened fire with their stolen blasters, clearing away the droids that were too far from the Jedi's lightsaber. Once they'd dealt with the enemy machines, Obi-Wan advanced to press the button that would summon the lift.

He counted twelve droid bodies, much more than he would have liked. Either the Separatists had figured out where they were trying to go or they'd started stationing larger forces at all possible escape routes. He knew Qui-Gon could handle twelve of the standard Federation battle droids on his own, but he couldn't help but worry for his safety. He sincerely hoped his master was right about how expensive personal shield generators were; they would have few places to run and hide if more droidekas awaited them in the courtyard. He turned around again to stare at the lift's door, willing it to move faster.

"Master Jedi!"

Obi-Wan flicked his lightsaber back on as he spun about to see a squad of seven battle droids and eight armed Separatists running toward them from the far end of the hallway. He leapt in front of Captain Panaka and the seven young women, his weapon at the ready. The droids continued to run toward him as the Separatists stopped to begin shooting. Once the droids were closer, they began to fire as well. Obi-Wan was too busy deflecting the shots away from the people behind him to direct any of them back at the shooters. Luckily, those he protected began to fire back at their attackers.

Once four of the Federation droids had been dealt with, some of the Separatists began taking nervous steps back. One of them pulled out a comlink. Obi-Wan wanted to stop him, but he didn't have a hand to spare.

"General!" the Separatist shouted into the unit, "General, it's a Jedi!"

"Where!?" the comlink shouted back.

Obi-Wan heard the lift door behind him slide open.

"Go!" he yelled.

The queen and her entourage quickly retreated into the lift. From inside, only three of them were able to continue shooting through the narrow door. Obi-Wan glanced back to make sure there was room, then backed up into it.

"The central lift! They're trying to escape!" the Separatist shouted into his comlink.

The door was almost closed completely when a stray bolt flew through the shrinking opening and grazed Obi-Wan's arm. He clenched his teeth and groaned through his nose, but kept his guard up. Once the door had closed and they were on their way down, he lowered his lightsaber and tugged on the sleeve of his cloak to get a glimpse of the hole.

"Are you hit?" Panaka asked quietly.

"No, it's alright," he replied.

"That was impressive work out there."

Obi-Wan looked back at the captain and bowed his head.

"Once we exit the lift, it'll be a straight shot to the courtyard," Panaka continued. He sighed and checked his blaster. "With luck, they haven't consolidated their forces yet."

The lift stopped and the door opened of its own accord. Obi-Wan stepped out with his lightsaber in front of him and the others close behind him. They were in a small room, dedicated solely to the lift. Directly across from it was a set of double doors and on either side of the room were long planters with exotic plants growing in neat rows. Obi-Wan would have expected to see blasters waiting for them, but the closed doors ahead said it was still a possibility. He signaled for the others to wait while he stepped up to the doors and placed his hand on one of them.

"I'll lock the lift," Queen Amidala offered as she moved toward the lift's control panel, "we don't want anyone coming at us from behind."

Panaka nodded his agreement and the queen quickly pressed a series of buttons.

Obi-Wan turned his attention to the door under his palm. Sensing the Force through manmade objects wasn't necessarily more difficult, but it definitely felt different. Luckily, he'd had plenty of practice on Coruscant; finding something that wasn't manmade on the Republic's enormous capital planet was quite a feat. What he sensed beyond the door was stillness, but he could feel the movement of breath. Someone awaited them on the other side. Whether they were friend or foe was impossible to tell. He knew one thing, however: it wasn't his master. He would have recognized the feeling if it were. Obi-Wan assumed it wasn't a friend; they didn't have enough friends in the palace.

"Get ready," he murmured.

"Can you tell how many there are?" Panaka whispered.

Obi-Wan shook his head.

"I know there's someone biological out there, but nothing's moving. They may have droids with them."

"Well, there's no turning back now," the captain muttered as he changed out the energy clip in his blaster with a fresh one.

Obi-Wan glanced backward to see if the others were prepared to face whatever waited for them on the other side of the door. The handmaidens and the queen took cover behind the planters, the barrels of their blasters resting atop the edges as they prepared to open fire. Captain Panaka and Obi-Wan took positions on either side of the door. Once they were as ready as they could be in the face of the unknown threat, Obi-Wan raised his lightsaber in one hand and pressed the door's control panel with the other. The door swiftly slid open.

The rattle of multiple plasteel clicks greeted them. A collection of ten battle droids, three human Separatist troops, and two shielded droidekas all raised their blasters at the opening. Obi-Wan wouldn't be able to block the fire from all of them at once, not with their close proximity almost ensuring pinpoint accuracy. With no clear shot at them, however, the Separatists refrained from firing immediately.

"Surrender the queen to us, Jedi!" one of the humans, a middle-aged woman, shouted at the open door, "the Republic's sad run is over! They'll never organize fast enough to stop us. Now is your chance to abandon a failing government in favor of a brighter future."

"Are they trying to recruit me?" Obi-Wan muttered to himself in disbelief. He shook his head and peeked around the doorframe at the Separatists. "I have my mission," he told them, trying to mimic Qui-Gon's calm tone, "and it doesn't involve harming any of you. But if you wish to continue being a hindrance, you will force my hand. Go home while you're still able."

Even as he said it, Obi-Wan doubted he'd convince them to walk away. They were devoted to their cause, devoted enough to invade a planet, and they already knew he was a Jedi. If that wouldn't frighten them away, he was out of peaceful tactics. Besides, the droids had already proven they didn't always take orders from their biological commanders. Whoever was responsible for their programming didn't have surrender in mind.

"Alright, start moving in," he heard the woman tell her comrades.

The queen's handmaidens began to fire on the advancing droids. Captain Panaka took quick peeks from behind the doorframe to fire as well, but he was forced to duck back to safety every time. They could eliminate as many of the battle droids and Separatist soldiers as they wanted, but unless they could deactivate the droidekas' shields, they'd be trapped in the tiny room until they were forced to surrender.

One of the women yelped when a blaster bolt struck the metal planter, sending sharp debris in her direction. Obi-Wan listened as he waited for the droids to come closer. He heard one of the droids clatter to the floor after a well-placed shot by one of the handmaidens. Once the clacking of their feet sounded just outside the doorframe, he whipped around, through the open door, and sliced the two closest droids in half. He shoved two others aside with a wave of Force energy and advanced toward the Separatist troops, cutting more droids down as he ran. The droidekas flanked the troops on either side. They began to fire on him, forcing him to stop and block the blaster fire. He wouldn't be able to hold them long, he knew, but it would at least allow his allies to get a clear shot at the armed humans.

Captain Panaka rushed out behind him and blew the heads off the two droids the Jedi had knocked to the ground. Two of the queen's handmaidens leapt over the planter and stood where Obi-Wan and the captain had been before continuing to fire at the droids, finishing off the last of the battle droids.

"Focus on the shields!" Panaka cried over the din of battle, "we'll wear them down!"

The two handmaidens abandoned their spots by the door and fanned out on either side of Obi-Wan to shoot at the droidekas, but not far enough to expose themselves. The burn wound on Obi-Wan's armed stung as he worked hard to keep the blaster bolts from getting past him. He clenched his teeth and steadied his resolve, daring to take a step forward. The others soon joined Panaka and the two maidens as they concentrated their fire on the droidekas.

The three human agents attempted to blast Panaka, but Obi-Wan narrowly managed to send their bolts into the hallway's walls. He tried to seem confident, but he knew his endurance was waning. He appealed to the Force for strength, surrendering his will and allowing it to guide his arms.

While in touch with the Force, he sensed all things around him in an almost surreal manner. The danger he was in suddenly seemed very unimportant compared to the sense of foreboding he received. He tried to block it out, to focus on the present as his master had told him. He wished he shared Master Yoda's gift for visions and prophecy. Perhaps, then, it would all make sense to him.

An enormous concentration of Force energy ahead of him brought his thoughts back to the situation at hand. The Force had aided him in protecting his friends, but he'd made no progress through the hall. As a result, he and the others were stuck halfway between the lift and the Separatists. However, after his communion with the Force, he wasn't worried anymore. The concentration he'd sensed was familiar to him. He knew what was about to happen.

The rapid click-clack of running boots on the hall's stone floor echoed out from ahead of them before Qui-Gon Jinn whipped the energized blade of his lightsaber across the leftmost of the two droidekas, sending it to the floor in two pieces. Obi-Wan smiled, despite still being under fire from three Separatists and another droideka. Finally able to focus on counterattacking, he deflected a blaster bolt back at the human who'd fired it, nailing him in the knee. Qui-Gon quickly destroyed the remaining droideka and leapt up behind one of the last two Separatists, holding his saber's glowing blue blade near the woman's back.

"Drop your weapons," he said sternly.

The two Separatists took a second to observe the aftermath before reluctantly complying. They held their empty hands above their heads.

"He never said anything about there being _two_ Jedi here," the woman growled in disappointment.

The man at her side slowly nodded his agreement, his face contorted in anger.

"Be glad your treasonous leaders didn't cost you your life," Captain Panaka hissed at her, "I would've killed you if I were these Jedi."

"A Jedi only kills as a last resort," Qui-Gon reminded him, extinguishing his lightsaber.

"All the same, it's what they deserve after all this," the captain grumbled.

Sabé and another of the queen's maidens brought the man with the injured knee over to his allies before binding his wrists behind his back. The captain and the others quickly secured the remaining two. Queen Amidala approached the woman.

"I want the name of the person leading this attack on my people," she declared.

"You already know General Aderonn," the woman hissed.

"He wouldn't have targeted my plant on his own, and he certainly didn't assemble this army without help," the queen persisted, "who ordered the invasion? Is there a Separatist council? Is the Trade Federation's viceroy in charge of more than your funds?"

"I don't know," the woman spat, "what, did you think they'd send one of the higher ups down here to deal with a Jedi? Besides, it doesn't matter." She looked at Qui-Gon. "We're taking this planet whether you manage to get the queen off it or not. The Republic doesn't have an army. You'll never kill all of us."

Captain Panaka glanced at his queen, then at the Separatist. He hit her with the base of his blaster.

"That's enough from you," he grunted after she collapsed on the floor.

"We should get moving, your highness," Qui-Gon stated, unfazed.

The queen nodded and started forward with her handmaidens on her tail. Panaka and Qui-Gon sped up to match her pace.

"I won't lie, Master," Obi-Wan said quietly once he'd caught up, "I feared you wouldn't make it in time."

"No one can blame you for feeling fear, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon assured him, "it's how you behave while under its influence that matters. From what I saw, you handled yourself well, if not a little recklessly."

"I'm sorry, Master."

"I didn't expect an apology from you. When there are no options left to you, sometimes you're forced to do something reckless. I think you did the only thing you could, despite the danger. Bravery is vital to a Jedi Knight. Truthfully, I think you're ready for the trials."

Obi-Wan allowed himself a small smile. He'd been working toward that point as long as he could remember. Finally hearing those words from his master was as fulfilling as he'd imagined. Nonetheless, he set his jubilation aside for another time. He'd never become a Jedi Knight if they never reached Coruscant, after all.

The group of escapees rushed down the hall, toward the palace's entrance. Beyond it was the courtyard, where they expected to enter the tunnels. Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon were able to deal with the little resistance they encountered effortlessly. With the central lift, the largest of the palace's turbolifts, locked the Separatists were having difficulty getting their forces down to the first floor to intercept them. At last, they could see the courtyard through the large transparisteel windows on either side of the palace's main entrance. Beyond it, they could see the long, wide street that passed under an enormous stone arch before leading out across the city. They could also see squads of droids diligently patrolling that street.

Once outside, the queen and her escorts kept close to the palace wall as they filed out into the courtyard. Captain Panaka led them to a point halfway down the length of the wall to their right, then stopped and dug his heel hard into one of the paving stones at the wall's base. The wall opened and they rushed down a steep stairway, into the dimly-lit escape tunnel. The last of the handmaidens closed the wall behind them using a panel next to the entrance.

"They'll never find us down here, even if they know about the natural caves," Panaka murmured for his allies' benefits, "without our map, they'll be lost for weeks if they try to follow us."

"Let's not drop our guard now," Qui-Gon replied, "it's still possible they may find that map."

"They won't," Panaka assured him, "the only copy is encrypted on my personal datapad. Once they blocked my access to the turrets, they didn't think to confiscate it from me. The only map of our escape tunnels is currently with us."

"Well, then, things are starting to looking up," Obi-Wan chimed in.

Panaka took his datapad from its pouch on his belt and began to plot their course as they walked.

"Here we are," he said after several minutes had passed, "it'll be a long walk, but we'll be able to emerge in the swamp near Lake Paonga. Once we reach the lake, finding a clearing large enough for your pilot to land in should be easy. I just hope the Separatists don't have enough droids at their disposal to start combing the planet."

"The Trade Federation has plenty of droids," Obi-Wan murmured to his master.

"We'll be alright if we maintain a quick pace," Qui-Gon replied quietly, "are you still able to contact Miss Vostana?"

Obi-Wan checked his comlink, but received nothing but static in return.

"There's too much interference from all the ground we're under," he stated.

"That's too bad. I suppose she'll just have to wait for us, then."

~*~

Gendo Aderonn quickly strode across the palace's control room to the turbolift control terminal. He rapidly manipulated the controls, attempting to slice past the manual lock the queen had activated on the central lift. Without the lift in operation, his men were unable to move their forces freely about the palace. He let out a sigh of relief when the lift's icon on the screen turned from orange to blue.

"Now, Major," he said into his comlink, "send everyone and everything you can spare. All of the droidekas, if you must. Find the Jedi, kill them, and return the queen to me."

"Yes, General," the comlink replied.

General Aderonn sighed again and slapped his comlink on the console beside him. They still had time to fix their carelessness. He'd underestimated the Republic's Supreme Chancellor. He hadn't expected anyone to send a rescue party without the Senate's consent, not anyone with so much to lose. And yet, only the Supreme Chancellor would have the authority to enlist the help of the Jedi Order without input from the Senate.

Gendo was a clean-shaven human male with a pristinely cut and styled head of full brown hair. The Separatists had focused their funds on assembling their army, so rather than an official Separatist uniform, he wore the uniform he'd kept after leaving his post as a Republic ship captain. The Republic's emblem had been deliberately defaced and partially sewn over with the one the Separatists had designed for themselves. The symbols of his former rank of "captain" had also been replaced with those of a general.

Aderonn preferred not having a new uniform; this way, anyone who saw his modified outfit would understand how disillusioned he'd become with the Republic's leadership. The galactic superpower had grown too comfortable with peace. It favored arguing silly, insignificant issues over making real decisions on the important ones. Its political, bureaucratic ways had gotten a third of his ship's crew killed in a dispute with Trandoshan slavers. At least, as a general, he'd be able to make his own decisions.

"General."

Aderonn didn't bother turning around to face his colonel, a zabrak woman with a fan of short horns that reached from her forehead to the base of her skull. Her face was decorated with tattoos, as was customary for her race.

"What is it, Ezna?" he muttered, folding his arms, "my job is hard enough already, so if this is something you can handle yourself, please do."

"It's not," Ezna replied curtly.

Aderonn turned around, his arms still folded.

"Alright, what is it? There isn't a third Jedi, is there?"

Ezna shook her head.

"He called. He wants to 'have a word with you', as he put it." She shrugged. "He didn't seem pleased."

Aderonn grunted his acknowledgment and unfolded his arms to straighten the collar of his uniform jacket.

"He's never pleased."

"Just tell him you're working on it," Ezna suggested, "I'm sure he'd understand."

Aderonn chuckled incredulously. Ezna nervously rubbed her palms on her pants.

"I mean… _maybe_ he'll understand." She paused. "Or not."

"Yes, thank you, Colonel, that's very helpful," Aderonn muttered as he moved past her, toward the communication room that adjoined the control room.

In the comm. room's center was a large circular pad, a life-size holoprojector. He grunted to clear his throat and stood before the holoprojector at attention. He looked at Ezna and nodded. Ezna touched the control panel to establish the comlink connection.

The shimmering blue image of an old, hunched man in a dark robe and hood appeared before him. Though he could see little of the man's features, Aderonn could tell by the usual frown on his face that he had no good news for him.

"Lord Sidious," Aderonn greeted him, "I heard you wish to speak with me?"

"General Aderonn," the hologram replied in a slow cadence, "you have yet to make a report. Is this young girl giving you trouble?"

Aderonn shifted his footing.

"We've…encountered a setback," he replied.

"What sort of setback?" Sidious snapped, "the planet is weak and defenseless. You should have had it under your control sooner."

"She's gone," Aderonn answered after steeling his nerves, "two Jedi Knights infiltrated the palace and fought their way out with the queen. I have every resource at my disposal searching for them. They barely made it into the atmosphere in one piece, so I assure you they will not leave Naboo alive."

"Is that supposed to make me happy, General?"

"I…well….my Lord, I'm doing all that I can. We weren't prepared to handle an attack so soon, but they won't escape. I guarantee it."

"You must not kill the queen. If they manage to board a ship, you will not shoot it down."

Aderonn's brow furrowed.

"I don't understand," he said, "we don't need the queen to take this planet. It's ours already. We may not have the support of its people, but fear will keep them in line, with or without the girl."

"You will not kill the queen, General."

"If she escapes to Coruscant, she will be able to plead before the Senate. Her testimony may persuade them to take military action against our blockade."

"Be silent!"

Aderonn snapped his mouth shut.

"Were there another, more reliable piece of scum capable of leading this movement on Naboo, I would deal with your failure now," Lord Sidious continued, "as it happens, there isn't. You are getting a second chance, General. Consider it a rarity."

Aderonn nodded slowly.

"If the queen manages to board a ship, you will not shoot her down. However, you must keep her from reaching Coruscant. Damage the ship, but do not destroy it. Surely, you can handle that much, _General_."

Aderonn nodded again.

"Speak!"

"Y-yes, I can—I mean, will handle it. My Lord."

"Good. If she dies, I will remove you myself."

"Understood, my Lord," Aderonn replied, trying to keep his trepidation from coming across through his voice. He cleared his throat quietly. "Ah, my Lord, if I may…disabling their ship will be significantly harder than destroying it and a droid's programming can only do so much to counter a skilled pilot. There is a chance the queen might escape the system."

"If she escapes, you will do nothing more than track the ship," the hologram replied, "I have my ways of dealing with the queen and her escorts."

"Yes, my Lord."

Aderonn bowed his head before the hologram disappeared. He took in a deep breath, then let it out slowly, but his muscles wouldn't relax. He'd never met the man in person, but he was certain he didn't want to anytime soon. He couldn't understand why the queen was vital to their invasion, but he wasn't the one with the plan. All he could do was follow his orders.

"Send the word out," he told Ezna, "if a ship is spotted leaving the atmosphere, we must use minimal force. Disable its hyperdrive, but don't destroy it or anyone on board."

"Yes, General," Ezna replied solemnly. She began pressing buttons on the communications panel.

"Still, I'd prefer it if we found them before that," Aderonn added quickly, "make sure we have everyone searching. Request more droids from the Trade Federation ships in orbit. I want them combing the entire planet within the hour. Triple security at all spaceports and hangars, both public and private."

"Yes, General."

"That means every city on the planet," Aderonn continued, "I know they have escape tunnels somewhere. They might travel to the next town."

"Yes, sir, every spaceport and hangar on the planet," Ezna replied, "is there anything else?"

"I'll let you know if I think of anything."

"This is Colonel Belrut to all forces with new orders," Ezna began, speaking into the control panel's microphone.

Aderonn turned on his heel and marched out of the room, past the technicians he had monitoring the control room. He tried not to blame them for the queen's escape. None of them had been prepared to face a Jedi, much less two of them. The Jedi were trouble. He hoped their leader had a plan to deal with the troublesome Order later on. If not, their revolution would be very short-lived.

~*~

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan stepped out into the open ahead of the queen and her entourage, prepared to draw their lightsabers at the first sign of alarm. The area around them was a dim, thick marshland. There were no droids or Separatists in sight, but Obi-Wan could see birds flying over them in flocks, all in one direction. In the distance, they heard the occasional thump and crackle. A multitude of wild animals were crying out in surprise.

"We must hurry," Qui-Gon declared, pressing on in the direction of Lake Paonga.

Obi-Wan watched the others file out behind his master before falling in after them. They navigated the swamp carefully, but as quickly as they dared to with all the exposed tree roots and low-hanging branches in their path. Obi-Wan plucked his comlink from his belt and attempted to reach their pilot.

A sudden ripple in the Force prompted him to duck before he had the chance to say anything. A STAP-1 speeder narrowly missed him, zooming over his head only a split second after he'd ducked. He stood up again and drew his lightsaber. The speeder swung around to face them. Its rider was another of the Trade Federation battle droids.

Qui-Gon had already sprung into action. He leapt toward the speeder and thrust his palm out, knocking the droid off it with the power of the Force. Obi-Wan dashed forward and sliced the droid's head off.

"Do you think it had time to transmit our location?" Captain Panaka asked.

"I'm sure they're tracking all of their scouts," Qui-Gon replied. He turned toward his apprentice. "Stay here with them, Obi-Wan," he told him, "hide, then take them to the lake and contact Miss Vostana once I've lead the droids away."

"Yes, Master."

Obi-Wan rushed back to the others and told them to hide under a fallen tree nearby, where the moss hanging off the trunk would shield them from view. He ducked between the tree's stump and a boulder, where he could still see his master.

Qui-Gon drew his lightsaber and ignited it, then positioned himself in the open. It wasn't long before another speeder came into view. Its mounted blaster fired twice at him before it sped past him and was forced to whirl around to take another pass. Qui-Gon took off running, away from his hidden allies. The speeder followed him, but was cut down once it caught up to him. Nonetheless, he kept running until he was out of sight. Obi-Wan waited as a third speeder rushed past them, in the direction Qui-Gon went.

Once it was gone, he emerged from his hiding spot and signaled for the others to follow. The group rushed through the thinning swamp. After a few minutes, they had the lake's shore in sight. Obi-Wan reached for his comlink again.

"Ruta, this is Obi-Wan," he said, "I have the queen and her people by Lake Paonga. It's in the swamp."

"I know where Lake Paonga is. I used to live on this planet, you know," the pilot replied, "I'll be there in a few."

"Master Jedi, we should get out of sight," Captain Panaka suggested, whipping his head around them to survey the area, "we're too exposed here."

"I agree. Ruta, we're going to take cover in the brush. Should I leave the channel open so you can locate us?"

"The Separatists might find us first if you do that," Panaka pointed out.

"What, you don't think we're professional enough to set up a secure channel?" Ruta replied through the comlink, "the Republic's techies hooked us up, alright? A little trust wouldn't hurt."

Panaka glared at the comlink before turning around to head back to the queen and her handmaidens. Obi-Wan sighed.

"He's just doing his job, Ruta," he said quietly.

"He complains too much. Anyway, it should take me about fifteen minutes to reach you. Sit tight."

Obi-Wan silenced the comlink, but left the connection open as he placed it back on his belt. He turned back toward the others and watched the captain fill them in briefly before looking back at the lake. He knew they weren't safe as long as they remained on Naboo, but he felt they'd come to be in more danger in the last few seconds. He glanced back to make sure the queen and her escorts had safely hidden themselves, then carefully scanned the lakeshore facing him, examining the trees and bushes. He couldn't see anything important, but the Force never warned him of danger when there wasn't any.

At last, he spotted something out of the ordinary. It was cautious movement, disturbing the otherwise gently-swaying branches of the trees on the other side of the lake.

"Wait here," Obi-Wan said loud enough for the others to hear, though even he wasn't sure where they were.

He closed his cloak about him and retreated into a line of trees that separated the lake from the rest of the swamp. Walking quickly, yet quietly, he skirted the lakeshore, listening for any hint of a nearby disturbance. It wasn't easy with all the ruckus in the distance. The Separatists were certainly making their presence known. He could hear trees crashing to the ground, rocks being blasted. STAP speeders weren't the only things they'd brought to the swamp. He could only hope the firepower the Separatists wielded wouldn't be turned on Ruta's ship when she flew into view.

Obi-Wan felt the Force rush into his mind and stopped walking immediately. He knelt low to the ground and listened. Leaves were rustling nearby, much too loudly to be a result of the wind. Only a few seconds passed before the source was close enough for him to hear footfalls. Obi-Wan shrunk back into the dense branches of the bush closest to him. A leg stepped over one of the lower branches, just to his left. The Rodian it belonged to pressed on, sweeping his blaster rifle back and forth.

"How do they expect us to find anything out here?" he muttered to himself in Rodese.

Obi-Wan touched the hilt of his lightsaber, but didn't take hold of it.

"Alternatives to fighting," he whispered to himself, barely audible enough for his own ears to hear.

He waited for the Rodian to get a few paces ahead of him before emerging from the bush. The Rodian's pointed ears twitched and he turned around. The scaly ridges above his eyes where his eyebrows might have been if he were human arched sharply.

"Don't move!" he commanded in his native language, pointing the rifle at Obi-Wan, "who are you? What are you doing out here? Are you with the queen?"

Obi-Wan kept his cloak in place with one arm while he raised the other, his palm facing the Rodian.

"That's a lot of questions," he said, "is there one you want answered first?"

"Where is the queen?" the Rodian asked.

"That I can't tell you," Obi-Wan replied calmly.

The Rodian waggled the rifle's barrel in his direction.

"I _will_ shoot you."

Obi-Wan quickly waved three of his fingers.

"You will not shoot me," he said clearly.

The Rodian lowered his rifle and shook his head.

"I will not shoot you," he repeated back at him.

"This area has nothing for you to find."

"This area has nothing for me to find."

Obi-Wan nodded.

"You will leave this place and report for further instructions."

The Rodian started to walk away.

"I will leave this place and report for further instructions," he mumbled to himself, marching off into the swamp.

Obi-Wan let a long breath out through his nose and nodded to himself. He'd taken a risk, exercising a technique he hadn't had the need to use more than twice before, but if it worked the way he'd intended, the Rodian wouldn't be back to search the lake any time soon. Better yet, it would take him a while to reach Theed on foot. Until then, the Separatists wouldn't have a reason to send another scout to Lake Paonga.

Satisfied, Obi-Wan hiked back to where he'd last seen the queen's party. Much of the swamp looked the same to him, but he knew he was at least close. He stopped when the loud roar of a starship's engines sounded from overhead. Any scouts in the area would be drawn straight to them, he knew. At least the closest of the scouts was headed in the other direction.

Obi-Wan shouted into the comlink over the noise, "did you find a clearing to land in?"

"No, but I found the next best thing," Ruta replied, "I can see you're still close to the lake. Stay put, alright?"

"Understood."

Obi-Wan looked up to see where the ship was going to land. Through the thick leaf canopy, he could glimpse part of the ship just above him. It appeared to be a small transport ship. Other than that, he knew very little about it. He hoped, at least, that it was a fast ship. It was a dull gray color with yellow, red, and black accents, obviously the property of a private citizen. With the blockade in place, the owner had no use for it, but he hoped the Republic would be able to reimburse them later, if not return it to them in perfect shape once the Separatists were finally forced off Naboo.

Obi-Wan began to get concerned when the ship continued to hover in the direction of the water.

"Ruta, what's your plan?" he asked, "you can't land in the lake."

"Watch and learn, Jedi."

The ship lowered over the lake. Obi-Wan winced, watching it get dangerously close to the water's surface, just over the reeds. That close to the shore, there wasn't much clearance between the ship and the trees. It wouldn't be possible to set the ship down there, he knew; the lake's floor would be sloping sharply, leading down into its depths.

"Are you trying to sink this one too?" he said into the comlink.

"Just get in."

The ship's loading ramp lowered while the craft still hovered just over the lake. There were just a few centimeters between the ramp's end and the shallow water lapping against the lakeshore. Obi-Wan jogged out onto the beach. The wind tossed his clothing about wildly the closer he got to the ship. Once he was out in the open, he could see Panaka and the seven girls heading toward him. The handmaidens held onto their hoods as they walked, battling against the wind's resistance to the ship's repulsorlifts. Obi-Wan kept watch while Panaka helped the queen and her handmaidens step up on the ship's loading ramp.

"Where are you?" he muttered to himself. They wouldn't be able to wait very long. His master had to be nearby, or they'd be forced to leave him.

"Master Jedi!" Panaka called.

Obi-Wan turned back around to see the captain balancing on the ramp.

"We need to leave," the man continued.

Obi-Wan acknowledged him with the wave of his arm. Panaka disappeared into the ship while Obi-Wan ran to the ramp. He leapt atop it and turned to look at the swamp once again. He grinned when he spotted Qui-Gon sprinting toward them. He backed up to let his master jump onto the loading ramp beside him.

"You cut that a little close, Master," Obi-Wan stated once they'd retreated into the ship.

Qui-Gon took hold of the latch that would manually close the ramp and yanked it. Once the ship had sealed itself, they were able to hear each other much better.

"I ran into a little trouble," Qui-Gon told him. He straightened his robes. "The Trade Federation brought more of their droids here than I thought they might've. I'm sure they have droid carriers all over this planet by now. It'd be quite the army."

"How can the Republic hope to match that?" Obi-Wan asked.

"That's something the Senate will need to address," Qui-Gon replied, "for now, we just need to avoid running into that army." He started toward the hall that would lead them out of the loading bay. Obi-Wan followed him.

"A ship this size should be quick and maneuverable, but we're still going to have a hard time of getting through that blockade a second time," he said.

Qui-Gon nodded.

"The Force has been with us so far," he replied, "our luck has had plenty of opportunities to change. Let's not start discounting our chances just yet."

Obi-Wan put on a wry smile.

"Master Windu says there's no such thing as luck."

"Allow yourself a little hope, Obi-Wan. We don't want our charges to lose faith in us, do we?"

Obi-Wan let his master go ahead of him into the cockpit, then entered and sat in one of the five chairs, behind the pilot.

"Feel free to strap yourself in again," Ruta chirped light-heartedly at him, "this is going to be rough."

Obi-Wan was glad to see her in a mood light enough to tease him, but didn't appreciate the teasing itself. He put his elbows on the chair's armrests and crossed his arms over his abdomen.

"Take us out of here, Miss Vostana," Qui-Gon said.

"Aye, aye."

The ship rose rapidly above Lake Paonga, then angled upward before speeding off.

After exiting the atmosphere, the ship flew toward the Separatists' blockade orbiting Naboo. Once they'd been noticed, the battleships and star cruisers near them released their vulture droids, but the turrets held their fire. Obi-Wan wasn't sure if he should think of that as a good or bad thing. The droid fighters weren't capable of heavy firepower. If the Separatists wanted them dead, they'd need to try harder than that.

"Master, the ships aren't firing at us," he pointed out.

"Yes, that is strange, isn't it?" Qui-Gon mused aloud.

Captain Panaka entered the cockpit to join them, taking a seat beside Obi-Wan.

"Queen Amidala and her maidens are secure. How are things looking?" he asked.

"Better than they could be," Qui-Gon replied.

"That's the weird part," Ruta added.

"I'm sorry?"

"They're not unleashing their full firepower on us," Obi-Wan explained.

Panaka shook his head.

"They want the queen alive, obviously."

"At this point, recapturing her alive will be more of a hassle than it's worth for them," Obi-Wan countered, "getting her to surrender would be a shortcut for them to gain control over the planet, but it's not the only way. They have a droid army at their disposal; forcing the planet's surrender wouldn't be impossible at this point."

Panaka watched the fighters approaching them through the cockpit window and nodded.

"When you put it that way, it is strange," he muttered.

"It's unsettling, but once we get to Coruscant, whatever plans they may have for her highness will be destroyed," Qui-Gon pointed out. He glanced at the pilot. "Let that be our primary concern."

"Agreed," Ruta replied through clenched teeth, "get ready, boys; here they come."

Three vulture droids buzzed overhead and Ruta increased the ship's speed to full. They whirled about, narrowly dodging a second squad of fighters.

"Well, that's not good," the pilot grunted.

"What isn't good?" Panaka demanded.

"I think the droids got new programming," Ruta replied, "they're not as easy to dodge this time around."

Obi-Wan clung to the arms of his chair when the ship shook violently.

"What did we just hit?" he asked.

"More like 'what just hit us?' One of those vulture droids slammed into our rear deflector shield!" Ruta gestured at the diagnostic screen.

"Why would they do that? They have blasters!"

"No blaster can tear through a shield as quickly as that droid did!"

"They're trying to disable our engines," Qui-Gon stated.

"It's almost annoying how calm you are at a time like this, Jedi," the pilot grumbled as she desperately maneuvered the ship around the swarm of vulture droids chasing them.

"Panicking doesn't help anyone," Qui-Gon retorted, "focus. You must keep the droids from hitting us again."

"Master, the ships," Obi-Wan spoke up.

"Yes, I sense it too," his master said. He pointed at the closest of the blockade ships. "Keep your distance, Miss Vostana."

"I can't believe this is actually worse than when they were trying to kill us!"

The small ship quickly veered away from the cruiser, passing between two of the blockade ships at an equal distance. The diagnostic screen began flashing erratically.

"So, they do remember how to use their blasters," Obi-Wan murmured, half to himself.

"Plot a course for Coruscant," Ruta told Qui-Gon, "we're going to jump to lightspeed as soon as we're clear."

Qui-Gon began setting the coordinates in the astrogation computer. Captain Panaka got off his chair and braced himself while holding onto the back of Qui-Gon's to get a look at the screens. He pointed at one of them.

"Our power readings. I know that can't be normal," he said.

Ruta glanced at it.

"I think that last shot damaged the engines' fuel line," Panaka continued, "we won't be able fly anywhere if we keep losing power like this."

"Look, I checked to make sure this ship had an astromech droid aboard before I took it," Ruta declared, "it should be trying to fix it by now, but I'm not getting any replies from it."

"They've jammed our communications," Qui-Gon explained, "I'm sure it's interfering with the droid's activation commands."

Obi-Wan stood up and tossed his cloak on the back of his chair.

"I'll see if I can activate it manually," he said before heading toward the cockpit's exit.

"Brace yourself!" Ruta exclaimed.

Obi-Wan backed up against the doorway and gripped its edge just in time to mitigate the shock of another direct blaster hit. Once he was able, he released the doorframe and rushed down the hallway. The ship's layout appeared standard, meaning the droid storage bay should be a short distance and, perhaps, a short flight of stairs from the cockpit. He headed in the direction he assumed would lead him there. He was pleased to see he'd guessed right. Inside, he could see a single blue and white R2 unit in a charging station, obviously still in hibernation mode. He gasped, nearly thrown off his feet when the ship rocked suddenly. After catching himself on a nearby crate, he dashed over to the charging station and smacked a large gray button. The charging station shut off as the astromech droid whirred to life. He gripped the station's console when the ship shook again. The awakened astromech droid beeped anxiously at him.

"We're in trouble, my little friend," Obi-Wan answered, "it's time you got to work."

The R2 unit's head swiveled around in a full circle as it beeped its acknowledgment. The droid rolled out of the charging station and into the chute that would transport it to the ship's engine room. Once the droid had disappeared, Obi-Wan carefully made his way back to the ship's intercom panel beside the storage bay's entrance, sensing the ship's internal gravity had been slightly disrupted. The astromech certainly had its work cut out for it. He pressed the speak button.

"The droid should be working on the damage now, Ruta."

"Yes, I see a change on the power monitors now," the pilot replied through the intercom, "good work, now get yourself back up here before you fall and hit your head on something sharp."

Obi-Wan quickly climbed the steps out of the droid bay and down the hall. The ship shook roughly, accompanied by the sound of groaning metal. His boot slipped and he fell against the wall as the ship's alarm began to blare.

"Well," Obi-Wan breathed as he got back to his feet, "that's not a good sound."

He finally managed to stumble his way back to the cockpit, where he threw himself back in his seat. Panaka had retreated to his chair as well.

"That alarm means something's broken, doesn't it?" Obi-Wan asked, already aware of the answer.

"The hyperdrive isn't responding," Qui-Gon replied.

"We're sitting ducks until that droid gets it fixed, if it even can," Panaka grunted.

"Sitting ducks can't do this," Ruta stated proudly just before pitching downward, flying the ship under a swarm of oncoming vulture droids. The droids collided with those behind them in a blast of debris. "But let's hope whoever owns this ship didn't tamper with the astromech's programming," she said, "just in case."

The engines whined louder as the ship began to vibrate.

"Oops!" Ruta chirped, "uhm, got a little too close to one of the ships. Don't worry! The tractor beam isn't strong enough to hold us at this distance." She quickly pressed a few buttons and flipped a few switches on the ship's console. "Just need a little more power. Any time, droid."

Qui-Gon watched the power monitor's screen.

"We're not losing power anymore," he said, "but we're going to need to divert some energy from some of the ship's other systems."

"They want our engines destroyed," Obi-Wan pointed out, "we don't need the front deflector shield."

"Good idea, Obi-Wan," his master complimented him. He made the necessary adjustments.

"Alright, breaking free now," Ruta declared.

The ship rocked as it sped onward, out of the tractor beam's pull. Ruta accelerated the ship back to full speed and they rocketed off into open space with a collection of vulture droids on their tail. She managed to dodge most of the blaster bolts as they left Naboo and the blockade behind. They only needed to wait for the R2 unit to repair the hyperdrive. With it, the fighters would have no chance of catching them. After several minutes of waiting and high-speed dodging, Captain Panaka leaned forward in his chair, his eyes wide.

"The hyperdrive! It's back online," he exclaimed, "we can make a short jump."

"Well, _by the Force_ , that little droid did it!" Ruta pointed at Qui-Gon. "Closest system, hurry!"

Qui-Gon rapidly set a new course and punched the button that would lock it in. The ship whined as the hyperdrive powered up. Finally, they roared off into hyperspace.


	3. A Hostile Environment

The small starship carrying Queen Amidala and her escorts exited hyperspace over a monochromatic tan planet. Its appearance alone told Obi-Wan it was a miserable place to live. The drab yellow and brown color of its obviously sandy surface revealed no large bodies of water and only sparse, wispy clouds in its atmosphere.

"Where are we?" he asked.

"The Tatoo system, on the Outer Rim," Qui-Gon answered. He gestured at the planet. "This planet, Tatooine, is sparsely populated, but we should be able to find something to repair the ship in one of the larger settlements. Then, we can be on our way to Coruscant."

"I've heard about this place," Ruta grumbled unenthusiastically, "it's a hole. The Hutts run it. We won't find anything good on the whole blasted planet. Not saying we won't find parts, but going into business with anyone on Tatooine is tricky."

"We don't have the power to jump anywhere else," Qui-Gon reminded her, "and trying to operate the hyperdrive again in its current jury-rigged condition might just make us explode. Unfortunately, we aren't free to choose right now."

"Just thought I'd warn you," Ruta replied, "you city planet types don't always know how things work on the Outer Rim."

"We'll handle it," Obi-Wan told her.

"I don't think it's wise to put the queen in a situation where she might be discovered by the Hutts," Captain Panaka stated sternly, "they'll do almost anything for money. If the Separatists realize we've come here, they could _purchase_ the queen from them, especially with the financial backing of the Trade Federation."

"I agree, but we don't have options anymore," Qui Gon explained, "perhaps we can search the ship, find some less conspicuous clothing for the queen and her handmaidens. We'll land the ship in the outskirts, where we're less likely to be noticed."

"Alright. I suppose that's the most we can do." The captain stood up. "I'll get on that now."

Obi-Wan watched the man leave the cockpit before turning his attention back to his master. Qui-Gon pointed at the semi-detailed planetary map displayed on one of the console's screens.

"There's a city, Mos Eisley, relatively close to our location," he said, "if we can't find the parts we need there, we can move on to the next."

Ruta shrugged.

"I guess it's as good a place to start as any."

The ship arched downward, toward the desert planet. After breaching the atmosphere, they found themselves flying over a rocky, mountainous region. Ruta directed the ship off to the right, where the rocks seemed to give way to a barren, sandy wasteland. They flew along the strip of hills that separated the mountains from the plains until locating a spot level enough to land the ship, while still having some protection provided by the cliffs and crags. Once they'd set down, Ruta turned many of the ship's systems off to retain energy.

"We should be just a few hours from the city," she announced, "do you have a plan?"

"The scanners are picking up a large mass of interference," Qui-Gon stated, "my guess is it's some sort of storm. It's going to pass us by, but we should avoid going outside for now."

"I won't say no to a little down time." The pilot unstrapped herself from her seat and stood up to stretch. "Anyway, you boys shouldn't need me until we take off again, so I'll be in the lounge." Without giving either of the Jedi a chance to deny her statement, she walked out.

Qui-Gon turned in his seat to look at Obi-Wan. He eyed the hole in his robe's sleeve.

"You should get that treated," he said, "if this planet is really as dangerous as Miss Vostana and the captain claim, you'll need to be in top condition."

Obi-Wan pulled at his robe, trying to get a look at the wound.

"Yes, of course, Master" he replied before standing up.

"I'll be in the engine room, diagnosing the damage," Qui-Gon stated, also getting to his feet. He straightened his cloak. "Hopefully, we'll have a complete list of the repairs we'll need by the time the storm passes."

Obi-Wan bowed his head and started down the hall, trying to get a look at the blaster wound on his lower bicep. It was small, nothing a little burn ointment and a medical patch wouldn't fix. He passed the doorway to the lounge as he made his way toward the medical bay. He could see Ruta rummaging around in one of the many containers inside. He imagined Captain Panaka would be in the living quarters or the cargo bay, searching for clothes more suitable for a barren rock like Tatooine. The queen and her handmaidens had probably secured themselves in the living quarters for their rough ride out of Nabooian space.

He proceeded down the hall, passing a few doors until he found the medical bay where he'd expected to find it. The ship had looked odd from the outside, but its interior was incredibly standard. He assumed its owner was more concerned with its outward appearance than anything else. He wondered if their pilot had chosen it for its paint job as well.

Obi-Wan retrieved the few supplies he needed from one of the cabinets and used a small knife to slightly widen the hole in his sleeve so he could see the wound. The small area of flesh around it was red and painful, but the heat of the blaster bolt had instantly cauterized it, preventing any bleeding. It was nothing a simple bacta patch wouldn't fix. He began to work on soothing it. He looked up when he heard someone enter the bay.

A young adolescent girl with long, dark brown hair that'd been braided and twisted up in a bun stood in the doorway. She was dressed in a plain, dull blue tunic and brown leggings with a thin belt. She smiled.

"Oh, good," Obi-Wan said, "I see the captain found some more ordinary clothes. That should help us escape notice."

"Yes, the others are still getting ready," the girl replied, "my name is Padmé. I wanted to thank you for everything you did for us, Obi-Wan." She glanced at his arm. "I'm sorry you had to get hurt in the process."

"It'll be alright," Obi-Wan assured her as he finished tending to the wound. He released his sleeve and turned his full attention to her. "It's only a small burn."

"All the same, I'm still very grateful," Padmé continued, "there were a few times back there I thought we wouldn't make it. You saved our lives, perhaps even our planet."

Obi-Wan smiled and bowed his head.

"You're welcome, Padmé. I'm glad we all got out safely."

Padmé nodded and glanced at the view port, out at the sandy wasteland the ship had landed in.

"Is this planet really as dangerous as the captain says?" she asked.

Obi-Wan looked as well. Just outside, he could see a wall of fine sand and dust being driven toward them by the strong winds of the storm. With most of the ship's systems off, they could hear the wind's howl through the hull.

"I've never been here before," he answered her honestly, "but as long as we're careful I'm sure we'll make it through this."

Padmé nodded slowly. Though he could only see the profile of her face, he could tell her brow was furrowed in anxiety. He moved closer to her and gently touched her shoulder.

"Master Qui-Gon and I have trained for this," he assured her, "we won't let anything happen to you."

Padmé allowed herself a small laugh and looked up to smile at him.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I don't doubt the abilities of the Jedi. It's just been a while since I was last outside the city."

"I understand," Obi-Wan replied. He took his hand off her shoulder and clasped both of his hands together in front of him. "Being nervous is nothing to apologize for. Even the Jedi understand how natural it is. You're not a Jedi, but I believe everyone can gain from learning to keep their emotions from running their lives." He chuckled. "That's not to say emotions don't have their purpose. It's a matter of balance, above all."

Padmé grinned as she watched him. After a short pause, she spoke up, "you're very wise, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan nodded his thanks.

"And you're very resourceful," he replied, "You and the other handmaidens—and even the queen showed impressive skills. You operated more like a squad of soldiers than a group of young girls."

Padmé grinned and leaned forward slightly.

"It's a little secret of ours," she whispered.

Obi-Wan grinned back.

"You're more than your job title suggests, I assume," he replied.

"We are her majesty's handmaidens, but 'handmaiden' means something more to us," Padmé explained, "we were hand-picked by Captain Panaka and trained alongside our queen to protect her." She folded her hands behind her back. "We may not look like much, but we can help you and your master protect the queen. I wanted to tell you so you would know you can use our skills if you need them."

Obi-Wan smiled again.

"I'm glad to hear that," he said. He gestured toward the hall with his head. "But for now, you should get some rest. It sounds like we'll be here a little while."

"Yes, you're right," Padmé replied, "but, please, if you or your master need anything done, don't hesitate to ask us."

"I certainly won't. Thank you."

Padmé bowed her head and left the room. Obi-Wan reached up to touch his arm where the medical patch had been placed. He felt no pain at the contact; the treatment was working. He proceeded out into the hall, toward the engine room. After what he'd witnessed in the cockpit on their way to Tatooine, he was sure Qui-Gon would need his help assessing the damage.

~*~

Obi-Wan and the rest of the "crew" stood in the sand outside the ship. They'd each changed into the clothes they found in the living quarters. Their find had mostly consisted of clothing meant to fit adult men, so the seven girls wore belts over their loose shirts and tunics to keep the garments from flapping about too wildly in the wind. Captain Panaka had simply removed the hat and jacket that exposed his position as a Nabooian guard captain and wore a dark leatheris jacket over his undershirt. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan had replaced their Jedi robes with simple shirts and their cloaks with thigh-length coats that would still easily hide the lightsabers on their belts. After observing the others, Obi-Wan was convinced any passersby would mistake them for an ordinary ship's crew and passengers.

The sandstorm had passed them by several minutes earlier and Qui-Gon was convinced a small group of them would have time to walk to town before nightfall. It was a risk, but Obi-Wan was glad they were taking it. He didn't want to frighten the others, but the Force's warning of future danger had grown stronger in the back of his mind during the storm. He could only hope they would repair their ship and escape the planet before the source of the feeling could expose itself.

Qui-Gon picked his borrowed backpack out of the dust and hoisted it over his shoulder. He turned to his apprentice.

"I should be back sometime tomorrow morning," he stated, "keep the ship safe while I'm gone." He turned to nod at Captain Panaka. "If everything goes as planned, we'll be on our way to Coruscant soon."

"Are you sure you won't need help in town?" the captain asked.

"I'd feel better with you here, Captain," Qui-Gon replied, "no one will look twice at me, but if someone were to discover this ship, the queen will need you near her."

Obi-Wan saw Padmé step forward out of the corner of his eye.

"Master Jedi," she began.

Qui-Gon turned to face her.

"Let me come with you," the girl continued, "you could use one more pair of hands. I'll follow your lead and I won't get in the way."

Panaka held one hand up.

"Wait a minute, Padmé," he interjected.

"No, he's right, Captain," she replied, "we won't attract any attention, just the two of us, and if I'm there to help him, things might go quicker." She paused and gave him a pleading look. "I just want to help."

Panaka grimaced.

"I don't think it's a good idea," he insisted.

"She has an impressive set of skills," Obi-Wan pointed out, "and anything that can make this process go faster is a good thing."

The captain let out a long sigh and folded his arms.

"I suppose I'm out of usable arguments," he admitted reluctantly.

Qui-Gon looked over Padmé, a calculating expression on his face.

"Very well," he murmured. He straightened his posture. "However, once I make a decision, I don't want to spend time arguing the logic of that decision," he warned her, "there may be dangers in Mos Eisley we aren't able to foresee. If you're willing to follow instruction without complaining, I will appreciate your company."

"I am, Master Jedi," Padmé replied dutifully.

Qui-Gon smiled and the stern expression he'd had before melted away.

"Then let us be off," he suggested, starting to turn away. He stopped and looked at her again. "Oh, and while we're in town, it would be best if you called me 'Qui-Gon' instead of 'Master Jedi'."

"Of course, Qui-Gon."

The Jedi Master smiled again and nodded reassuringly at his padawan before turning away from the ship. Obi-Wan watched the pair for a few minutes before heading back into the ship after the others. He decided to do a quick survey of the ship and note everyone's whereabouts. Ruta Vostana had remained in the lounge throughout the sandstorm. As he walked by, he saw the pilot sitting in front of a small table, finishing off the last bit of a drink she'd poured herself. She looked up and raised one eyebrow.

"Thirsty?" she asked.

Obi-Wan shook his head and continued to the next room. He ran across Captain Panaka in the engine room. The man was shaking his head as he looked over the severely-charred hyperdrive.

"It's amazing we made it this far with the hyperdrive like this," he mused.

Obi-Wan nodded slowly.

"Our little droid did well," he agreed, "it's a real credit to its manufacturer."

Panaka turned away from the engine to face him.

"It's a pity we had to steal it," he grumbled.

"I'm sure the Republic will reimburse the ship's owner after all this is done." Obi-Wan gestured down the hall with his chin. "I noticed the queen and her handmaidens look very similar when she's not wearing her makeup," he said, "I'm guessing that was deliberate?"

Panaka nodded.

"It's harder to hurt the queen when you don't know which of them she is," he explained.

"Yes, I'm sure, but I feel a little awkward not knowing how to address them," Obi-Wan replied.

"For now, I think it's best that we simply call them by their names. It's not that I don't trust you, Master Jedi. I know she's done a lot for us, but I can't say I'd trust our pilot with my own life if credits were at stake."

Obi-Wan folded his arms.

"Ruta is loyal to the Republic," he argued.

"Only because the Chancellor is paying her bills," Panaka retorted, "we already know the Separatists aren't short on money. What happens if they offer more than the Republic is paying? Are you certain Miss Vostana wouldn't betray us? It would definitely be a lot easier than taking us to Coruscant, with all those people gunning for us."

Obi-Wan sighed.

"I understand why you're concerned, but please don't mention your worries in her presence. It would only cause more trouble."

"I wouldn't dream of it," the captain stated quickly, "I mean, if she hasn't thought of it yet, my mentioning it would put the idea in her head. I won't let this become some self-fulfilling prophecy."

Obi-Wan shook his head slowly, but decided against arguing the point further.

"In that case, I'll need to know all their names," he relented.

Panaka nodded.

"It might take a while, but I'll try to help." He turned his head in the direction of Mos Eisley. "The one who went with your master was Padmé."

Obi-Wan nodded.

"Yes, we chatted a little."

"Good!" Panaka pointed with his thumb toward the hallway. "Sabé is the more outspoken one. You'll sometimes see her relay orders between the queen and the other maidens. Rabé and Eirtaé are the smaller ones. They're quick and quiet, if you ever need anyone to do some snooping for you."

"I'll take note of that."

"Fé has a good head for strategy," the captain continued, "she's the tallest of the girls. Saché and Yané are the remaining two. They're remarkably good with blasters."

"Quite a diverse team," Obi-Wan breathed, "if I didn't know better, I'd expect you were training them for special forces."

Panaka shrugged.

"They'll at least be able to fill new positions once the queen's term of service is up," he offered.

"They're a little young for all that, aren't they?"

"That's funny, coming from you," the captain retorted, "as I remember it, Jedi are recruited as soon as they can walk."

Obi-Wan smiled.

"Fair enough."

He tore his attention away from the captain when the startled beeps of an R2 unit sounded from down the hall. The little droid rolled into the doorway and bleeped frantically at them.

"What is it?" the captain asked.

"There's something wrong with our scanners," Obi-Wan replied.

He started forward, prompting the droid to roll back and give him room to step into the hall. He proceeded to the cockpit and leaned over the co-pilot's seat to look at the screen. The captain soon joined him.

"We're picking up interference," the Jedi pointed out to him.

Panaka looked out the cockpit's window at the desert.

"Why? The storm has passed."

"I can only assume we're being jammed," Obi-Wan replied, "I'm going to investigate."

Panaka took his stolen blaster from the holster on his thigh.

"Take this," he said, offering it to him, "your lightsaber will draw too much attention. I'll borrow one of the others and guard the ship's entrance."

Obi-Wan nodded and took the weapon from him. He exited the cockpit with Panaka close behind him, headed for the loading bay. The captain left him when they approached the living quarters. Once he'd reached the loading ramp, he stopped and looked back. Once he could see Panaka running down the hall toward him, he activated the ramp's manual release. They nodded to each other and Obi-Wan proceeded down the ramp, stepping out onto the sand. He didn't need to go any further to see where the interference was coming from.

An assortment of seven aliens and humans was positioned just outside the ship. They were dressed in dirty jackets, boots, and swoop helmets. The swoop bikes to match their helmets were littered about the clearing. Each of them carried a weapon of some sort. Some had blasters, others had vibrostaves or shock batons. One particularly burly ruffian held what looked like a heavily-modified rocket launcher. Obi-Wan guessed they weren't friendly visitors.

"Good afternoon," he greeted them in a calm, if not slightly confused tone.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," one of the smaller thugs grunted at him. His voice was muffled by the helmet that hid his face, but his short stature suggested he wasn't human. "We'll just blame it on the weather," he concluded.

"There must be some mistake," Obi-Wan replied, "I don't know you."

The small creature stepped forward, pointing a stubby finger at the Jedi.

"You don't, but anyone who sets down in our desert is going to get a visit." The leader waggled his finger. "This is what's going to happen," he declared, "you and your crew are going to surrender to us. We're going to take your ship and everything on it, get rich, and have a week-long party. If you don't like that plan, there's one alternative." He gestured at the large thug with the missile launcher. "He can blow your ship up, we sell it for scrap, and we have a slightly-less-long party. Of course, that one means you die."

Obi-Wan sighed quietly.

"I'm sure we can work this out reasonably," he said, though he doubted it. The ship they'd hijacked on Naboo lacked any offensive capabilities, so defense of the ship relied entirely on those aboard. He hoped Captain Panaka had heard everything so far. He was a clever man. Perhaps he could figure something out, if he gave him enough time.

"Yeah, yeah," the bandit growled back at him, "it's hot out here, so we're all a little bit cranky. Make a decision so we can get this over with."

Obi-Wan kept the hand holding the borrowed blaster low while he quickly gestured in the bandits' direction with the other hand.

"You don't want to destroy this ship," he stated.

The burly thug holding the rocket launcher looked at their leader.

"I don't want to destroy that ship," he told him, rather pathetically, in a surprisingly high-pitched voice.

The leader was forced to do a double-take at the larger man. He paused, then turned his whole body to face him and flung his arms out.

"What!?" he shrieked, "what's wrong with you!?"

"I don't want to blow it up," the ruffian repeated, shrugging effortlessly despite the enormous weapon on his shoulder.

"You stupid ape!" the leader screamed. He kicked the large man's shin.

The thug seemed unfazed by the blow, but lowered his head dejectedly.

"I'm sorry," he whimpered.

"Give me that!" the leader demanded, holding his arms out.

The bandit lifted the rocket launcher off his shoulder and dropped it on their leader, who grunted as he fell down in the dust. Obi-Wan rose the blaster in his hand.

"Hold it!" one of the other bandits barked at him, her voice obviously feminine. Her blaster carbine was directed at him. Obi-Wan lowered the weapon. He knew he could take most of them with his lightsaber, but the possibility of a missile destroying their only way off the planet gave him pause.

"Master Jedi," he heard Panaka whisper from behind him on the ship, "how many are there?"

"Seven," Obi-Wan muttered back.

The bandit leader recovered in seconds, managing to hoist the big weapon up onto his shoulder. He pointed it at the ship.

"Hey! No more talking," he ordered, "now, if the next words out of your mouth aren't 'I surrender', I pull this trigger and blow you and your crew into bloody goop!"

Obi-Wan clenched his teeth, but knelt slowly to set his blaster down on the ground.

"Then I surrender," he said clearly as he rose to stand again, holding his arms above his head.

"Good! Now tell your crew to come out here, one at a time!"

Obi-Wan sighed and looked back at the ship's loading ramp.

"You heard him, Captain," he said.

"I hope you know what you're doing," Panaka muttered at him as he started to descend.

~*~

General Aderonn speedily scanned the scouting reports from all the nearby systems, searching desperately for anything that might've registered as their missing queen's ship. There was plenty of traffic to and from the civilized planets. Their target could be anywhere among the transports and freighters coming and going on their normal routines. It seemed an impossible task, but he knew they couldn't have gotten too far away. They hadn't disabled the ship entirely, thanks to the whiz of a pilot the Jedi seemed to have found, but he knew they'd damaged part of the engines.

"Anything?" he demanded of his subordinates, who sat at terminals adjacent to his, combing through the remaining reports.

"Nothing from sector 15, Sir," the nearest of his technicians replied.

"Sector 12 is negative, General," another added.

"Same from Sector 10; nothing that matches the ship's description."

"Blast!" the general cursed, bashing his fist against the terminal's control pad. The technicians paused to look at him. He sighed at them. "Keep looking!"

Aderonn stepped away from the terminal and wrung his hands together. Their mysterious leader was growing impatient with him. He knew it wasn't just his neck that was at risk. The hooded man wasn't a forgiving sort; he'd lay most of the blame on Aderonn himself, but his subordinates wouldn't get away unscathed. He was already pressuring him to make examples of his men in the belief that it would motivate those who remained to work harder. Yet, he knew it wasn't hard work they lacked. Some things just couldn't be done!

"Sir," Colonel Ezna called from the communications terminal, "Lord Sidious wants an update on our progress."

Aderonn let a deep breath out through his nose and nodded. As if talking to that man once in one month wasn't enough, he'd have to face him twice within twenty four hours. The general reluctantly returned to the privacy of the Nabooian palace's communications room. Once the door slid closed behind him, he flicked a gesture at Ezna and she activated the link.

"I am growing impatient, General Aderonn."

Aderonn bowed his head. Not even a greeting this time, he noted.

"We're still combing through the scouting reports, my lord," he said matter-of-factly, "if their ship managed to get to any of the neighboring systems, we'll know about it soon."

"Do not bother wasting your time anymore than you already have," Lord Sidious replied, slowly turning his head to his left, "I will find them myself." The hologram's head turned to face him again. "Solidify control of the planet. I expect you will be able to handle that much."

Aderonn nodded.

"Of course, my Lord. Shall I have the reports sent to you?"

"If I wanted your pitiful reports, I would have asked for them!"

Aderonn nodded rapidly and cleared his throat.

"Right, right. I'm sorry; I thought you said you wanted to find the ship yourself."

"I said I _will_ find the ship myself. It is not your place to tell me how I will do it."

Aderonn knew he would probably regret asking, but allowed his curiosity to get the better of him, "if you don't want my scouts' reports, how do you plan to find where they went? There are many populated systems. Finding a civilian-owned light transport among the rabble would be near impossible."

"You should have more faith, General," Lord Sidious replied slowly.

Aderonn took a deep breath.

"I apologize, my Lord."

The hologram's wrinkled old lips slowly spread into a smile and Aderonn worked hard to avoid reeling back at the sight. He decided he definitely preferred the frown.

"No," Lord Sidious began slyly, "no, I have a new task for you, General."

The general was almost afraid to ask, "yes, my Lord?"

"Board one of the command ships in orbit. Prepare it for travel. Soon, I will contact you again with your destination."

"It shall be done, my lord." Aderonn bowed at the waist, trying not to look too relieved.

"Good."

With that, the transmission cut out. Aderonn allowed his stance to relax slightly and groaned loudly. Ezna stepped away from the comm. terminal and stared briefly at the deactivated holoprojector.

"What kind of game does he think he's playing?" she asked, "if Jedi don't want to be found, they don't get found. _Especially_ if you don't listen to your own scouts." She scoffed. "Honestly, why did we decide to follow him? A man who dresses like that is either an eccentric genius or a crazy hermit living in the mountains and after what I just heard, I'm reasonably sure he isn't a genius."

"We're following him because he's our best weapon against the Jedi Order," the general replied patiently, "without him, our revolution would already be doomed."

Ezna shook her head.

"How is one senile old man any match for hundreds of Jedi?" she demanded.

"Choose your words carefully when referring to Lord Sidious," Aderonn cautioned her sternly.

"Fine," Ezna grumbled, "but my question still stands."

"Do you know nothing of the Sith?"

"Never heard of it."

"Them," the general corrected her, "they're Force users like the Jedi, only much more powerful. They are the only thing that can bring the Order to its knees."

Ezna shrugged, but the arch in her eyebrows showed she was starting to come around.

"If they're so powerful, why doesn't anyone know about them?"

"They were killed off a thousand years ago."

The arch in the zabrak's brow vanished and she sighed heavily.

"So, they're dead. That doesn't do us any good at all," she muttered.

General Aderonn shook his head, placing his hands on his hips.

"Lord Sidious is a Sith of immense power," he explained, "that the Jedi don't know of his existence is proof enough of that. I don't know much about the ways of the Force, but I know they're all connected. If he has the ability to hide that connection, I'm sure he is all we need to overthrow the Republic's watch dogs."

Ezna shrugged again.

"I hope you're right."

~*~

Obi-Wan sat on his knees with Captain Panaka, Ruta, and the six girls as the group of bandits picked through their belongings. Three of them were combing through the things on the ship while two others sorted the stuff they brought out. The remaining two guarded the prisoners, including the large man with the rocket launcher. Firing it at them probably would've caught many of the bandits in the blast, but Obi-Wan had no intention of finding out if the large thug was aware of that fact.

Ruta leaned toward him.

"Please tell me you have a plan," she muttered out of the corner of her mouth.

"Patience," Obi-Wan replied quietly.

"Are you going to wait for them to start shooting us?" she grumbled.

"They want us alive."

Ruta sighed.

"One time I woke up on the floor of a cantina when a guy punched me in the gut and this was still the rudest awakening I've ever had. Guy practically poked my eye out with his blaster!"

"Quiet," one of the guards barked.

Ruta groaned loudly.

"Do you mind? I already have a headache."

Obi-Wan sighed through his nose and looked over at the two digging through their possessions, the leader included. He would've been a little more disturbed if most of those things hadn't been stolen in the first place. Two of the bandits rummaging through their ship came down the ramp carrying bundles of orange cloth and tossed them in a pile on the ground. Those clothes might've gotten them a high price, if they hadn't been dropped in the sand.

The two bandits started back up the ramp and into the ship. One of them cried out in shock and jumped backward, knocking his fellow off the ramp as he tumbled down into the sand.

The small bandit leader looked up.

"What!?" he shrieked, "what happened!?"

Obi-Wan couldn't help but smile when the ship's little R2 unit appeared at the top of the ramp. It tweeted obnoxiously at the bandits. One of them jumped to his feet.

"You electrocuted me, you little can of junk!" he shouted.

"That droid is going to get itself deactivated," Ruta grumbled.

"Well, you've got to admire its spirit," Obi-Wan replied in a whisper.

"It's a droid."

"All the same."

The bandit leader stormed over to the ship and kicked his follower.

"All that noise over a stupid little astromech droid?" he demanded, "get back up there and disable it!"

"It really hurt!" the bandit complained.

The leader scoffed and whipped his blaster pistol out of his holster. He pointed it at the droid and fired, sending it flying back into the ship. Obi-Wan sighed quietly. He couldn't help feeling sorry for it, even if it was just a droid.

"There," the bandit leader grumbled, "now get the rest of the loot so we can move on."

The two thugs returned to the ship to do as they were told while the leader went back to picking through their haul with his partner. Obi-Wan straightened when one of them plucked his lightsaber hilt out of the pile of weapons they'd started collecting.

"What's this?" the leader grumbled.

"I don't know, some sort of tool? Maybe a baton or something." He took the hilt from him and shook it, then looked down its length.

"It's got a button." The leader extended a finger toward the lightsaber's ignition.

"Ah, I wouldn't do that," Obi-Wan warned them.

The bandits both looked over at him. The one holding his lightsaber scoffed through his helmet.

"Oh, really?" he asked sarcastically.

"It's an explosive," the Jedi lied, "I made it myself. You press that button and it'll be armed. The slightest bump or impact will set it off and kill us all."

The hilt slipped out of the bandit's grip and he caught it again, holding it out as far as he could.

"Why would you carry something like that around on your belt?" he asked incredulously.

Obi-Wan glanced at the large man with the rocket launcher.

"You never know when you'll need an explosion," he replied.

The leader laughed.

"You know, I kind of like this one," he said. He gestured for his friend to put the lightsaber down. "Maybe we'll keep him."

"What if we get a good offer?" the female bandit guarding them asked.

"Then we'll sell him, obviously," the leader retorted, "but I'm just saying."

Ruta fidgeted beside Obi-Wan.

"Wait, what? Sell? Oho, no, no, nobody's selling me for anything!" she exclaimed.

"Nobody is getting sold," Captain Panaka grunted from behind her.

"I'd be more inclined to believe you if one of you came up with a plan!" Ruta whispered hoarsely, "my job was flying! I did my job! Why don't you guys do yours!?"

"Calm down," Obi-Wan told her sternly.

"Shut it, all of you!" the lady guard shouted.

"Just take them back to camp and gag them!" the leader yelled impatiently.

The guard stepped forward and nudged Ruta's shoulder with her blaster.

"You heard the man," she hissed, "on your feet."

Obi-Wan and the others stood up slowly. The Jedi eyed his lightsaber as they started to be led out of the alcove.

"Can't you call your weapon to you?" Panaka whispered urgently, "isn't that what Jedi do?"

"If I start a fight now, there's a chance that rather large one will fire his weapon. If that doesn't kill us, it will at least damage the ship further," Obi-Wan replied under his breath, "we can ambush our guards once we're a distance away. Then, we'll come back and catch the others by surprise."

Obi-Wan gasped when the woman whacked the back of his head with her blaster.

"You're a chatty one, aren't you?" she growled, "don't make me hit you again."

"My apologies," he replied.

The group of prisoners walked along the ridge with their hands on the backs of their heads, the three guards who'd accompanied them watching them carefully. The desert around them was silent, aside from the howl of the wind through nearby canyons and the sound of their own footfalls. Night was falling, but the planet's two suns were still visible. The heat had diminished considerably and the wind was finally able to cool the sweat on the back of his neck. He needed to think of a way to signal the others to attack. He didn't want to open his mouth again, lest he trigger the wrath of their escorts. His thoughts halted when he heard the sound of a small rock falling off one of the cliffs, bouncing its way down to the ground with a series of clacks. The guards stopped walking.

"Tell me that was my imagination," one of them whispered.

"It wasn't," the woman who liked yelling so much replied quietly.

"Get down, all of you," the third ordered in a whisper. He gestured for the prisoners to take cover under a nearby outcropping. Once they'd done what they were told, the three guards positioned themselves nearby, blasters sweeping the landscape.

"What's happening?" one of the handmaidens whispered. Obi-Wan guessed she was the one called Fé, though he hadn't had the time to meet them all personally.

"I don't know," Panaka replied.

"Shh!" the second guard hissed. She gestured with her head at the barren plains. "Sand People. They'll kill all of us if you don't keep quiet."

"You can't be serious!" Ruta exclaimed.

"Hush!"

"N-no, wait. It could be just be Jawas," one of the other raiders stuttered.

"Please let it be Jawas," the third wished aloud.

Obi-Wan leaned forward, hoping to get a glimpse at what frightened the guards so much. By the way she spoke of them, he guessed most residents of Tatooine would immediately know what a "Sand Person" was. Having never been to the desert planet before, he could only guess. Perhaps they were creatures made of sand. Or, more likely, they were just natives of the desert. Hostile natives, obviously.

Several tense seconds passed in complete silence, each one feeling like an eternity, as the group waited for any sign of what might've been prowling the rocky cliffs above them. Obi-Wan was able to restrain himself from jumping visibly when he heard what sounded like a strange, nasally snarl. The guards looked at each other. Their faces were hidden, but their body language said they were terrified. Sand People it was, Obi-Wan assumed.

"Look out!" one of the guards shrieked as he bounced up and fired his blaster rifle. A creature clothed in tan robes and a freakish mask that hid all of its features toppled off the rock above their outcropping and flopped into the sand in front of them. Its weapon, some sort of spiky stick, plopped down next to it.

A cry of anger rang out from the cliffs. The creature's comrades opened fire on their hiding spot, firing projectiles rather than laser blasts. The raider guards took cover under the outcropping, peeking out to fire back. A second sand creature fell next to Obi-Wan, bringing its rifle with it. The Jedi glanced up at the guards, who were preoccupied, and crawled forward to put his hand on the rifle. He flinched back when a shot narrowly missed his wrist, then snatched the rifle out of the sand. He crawled backward to furtively hand the weapon to Captain Panaka, who took it and kept it low to the ground as he waited for his chance to use it.

Obi-Wan could hear more Sand People going down above them, but none of them fell as closely as the one with the rifle had. He eyed the weird stick, lying by its owner who had collapsed just beside one of their captors. Obi-Wan knew he had an option, but that it wasn't the cleanest. He took a breath and let it out, then looked up at the guard.

"I'm sorry about this," he whispered, mostly for his own benefit.

He flicked his hand out in the man's direction, sending him off his feet and out into the open. The bandit shrieked and scrambled to get back up again, but collapsed when several projectiles buried themselves in his back and skull. Obi-Wan pushed himself forward and grabbed the stick. He swung it to the side and knocked one of the other bandits' legs out from under her.

"Agh!" she yelped as she fell on her back. Obi-Wan whipped the stick's spiked end down in her direction, but she caught it with one of her gloved hands and pointed her blaster at his head with the other. She flopped back when a shot rang out from behind him. He looked back and saw Panaka brandishing the rifle. He quickly nodded his thanks.

"What're you doing!?" Ruta cried.

"You said you wanted us to come up with a plan!" Panaka shouted back.

"You're going to get us killed! Don't you know what Sand People are!?"

The last of the raiders ducked under the outcropping to take cover from a series of shots, then noticed his two dead comrades.

"What in the blazes!?"

"That's what I'd like to know," Ruta stated angrily.

The bandit yelped when one of the girls leapt on his back, throwing her skinny arm around his neck. He fell backward, pulling at the arm that was cutting off his air supply. Panaka leaned forward to grab the bandit's blaster before he could fire it. He yanked it out of the man's hands. One of the other handmaidens crawled forward, a rock in her hand, and whacked the bandit hard in the head. The man went limp and the girl released him. Obi-Wan raised both eyebrows.

"Good job," he murmured appreciatively.

"Yes, good job," Ruta snapped, "now we're alone in the desert, pinned down by _Sand People_! I didn't want to get sold, but dying is probably a little worse, right?"

Obi-Wan ducked further under the ridge when a rifle shot landed uncomfortably close to him. He waited a few seconds, then peeked back out. He was unable to see their attackers clearly, but by the number of shots ringing out in such a short time, he estimated there were at least seven left standing.

"Let's see what they think of a Jedi," he stated.

Obi-Wan waited for a chance to emerge before rushing out into the open. He faced the cliff and squared his shoulders, adopting the most confident stance he could muster. He thrust out one arm and let out an intimidating roar while reaching for the Force. He noticed one of the Sand People hiding behind a boulder and focused on it. Aided by the Force, he caused the boulder to lift itself off the ridge, levitating it high in the air. The Sand People screamed at the spectacle. Obi-Wan twisted the boulder in midair, allowing pebbles to fall off its top and rain down on the terrified creatures below. Several of them began to retreat immediately, but a brave three lingered with their rifles shakily pointed at him. With a great heave, Obi-Wan tossed the boulder in their direction. One of the Sand People was killed instantly, crushed by the rock's impact. Those who'd remained screeched another nasally cry, then vanished among the rocky hills.

Obi-Wan watched them flee before allowing his arm to collapse at his side and he let out a long breath. It'd been a while since he'd lifted something so large. His Master had always told him the size of the object didn't matter, but he couldn't help being winded, whether it was a product of his own expectations or true exhaustion. He panted for a few seconds before looking back at the others. Captain Panaka glanced at the boulder, then at him. He nodded slowly.

"Wow," Ruta blurted. She shook her head to snap herself out of her daze. "Anyway, they'll be back soon. We need to move."

"Right," Panaka began, sounding somewhat unsure, "well, I think it's time we took back our ship."

Three of the handmaidens armed themselves with the bandits' blasters while Panaka started back the way they'd come. As they trotted along, Obi-Wan worked to catch his breath. The entrance to their ship's alcove was soon within sight. Captain Panaka inched forward to peek into the valley.

"The ringleader and the one with the missile launcher are there, on the left," he murmured, "can't see the others. Might be on the ship."

"Which of them is closest?" Obi-Wan asked.

"The big one," the captain replied, "the leader's waiting by the ramp."

"Which way are they facing?" Fé asked from behind Obi-Wan. He glanced back at her curiously.

Captain Panaka took another look, then looked back at her to answer, "one toward the ship, one toward the swoops."

"If we can distract them, we might be able to sneak up and silence them before they can alert the ones on the ship," Fé pointed out. "Then, once we have our weapons back, we can use one of them to draw them out and ambush them."

"Good thinking," Panaka muttered appreciatively.

Obi-Wan crawled forward, next to Panaka to get a look at the ship. He peered at the two bandits in the clearing. The ringleader was sitting atop one of the crates they'd pulled off the ship, watching the loading ramp. The largest of the thugs was pacing back and forth impatiently, carrying the launcher in his arms as opposed to on his shoulder. He wasn't faced directly toward them, but he'd have no trouble seeing them out of the corner of his eye if they moved too suddenly.

"Let's borrow one of the Sand People's tricks," Obi-Wan whispered.

He flicked three of his fingers out. The sound of a falling rock echoed out among the cliffs on the other side of the clearing. The two bandits turned to look in the direction of the sound. The ringleader leapt off the crate and ran around it to duck behind it while the large one knelt down on one knee as he lifted the missile launcher back to his shoulder. Obi-Wan glanced back at the others quickly.

"Whichever of you is the quickest, follow me," he ordered under his breath.

Without waiting to see who they'd choose, he dashed out into the open, keeping his footfalls light. He peeked back and gestured at the leader with one hand as he made his way across the sand between himself and the bigger thug. The girl following him nodded and adjusted her trajectory toward the small alien crouched behind the crate.

Obi-Wan waited until he was directly behind the missile-carrying ruffian before whipping his lightsaber up from the nearby pile of weapons and tools. He ignited its green blade and cut the man down before he could turn to see what'd created the noise behind him. He glanced to his left to see the girl jump onto the short alien's back and wrap her arm around his neck. The leader choked out a surprised gasp before the girl's added weight forced him face-down into the sand. She pressed the blaster she'd taken from one of the bandit guards to the back of the leader's helmet.

"Say anything and you're dead," she warned him.

The rogue let out a growl that was muffled by the helmet and the sand, but didn't try to say anything. It wasn't long before they were joined in the clearing by the rest of the entourage.

Obi-Wan smiled at the girl.

"Good work, …uhm."

"Eirtaé," the girl answered.

"There should only be two left now," Captain Panaka stated, looking over at the open loading ramp.

"Then let's get to work," Obi-Wan replied. Ruta and the handmaidens snatched up blasters from the pile of weapons the raiders had created. Obi-Wan walked over to the loading ramp and stood beside it while the others put themselves out of sight.

Eirtaé took hold of the leader's helmet and pulled it out of the sand.

"Call them out of the ship," she ordered.

"Go to hell."

"Do it!" she repeated, tapping the gun's barrel against the swoop helmet.

"Jet! Dezik! Get down here," the ringleader shouted.

Obi-Wan allowed the remaining two bandits to descend the loading ramp before stepping onto the ramp behind them to cut them off. Eirtaé kept her blaster trained on the leader while the others emerged from their hiding spots to confront his underlings.

"Blast," one of them grunted.

"Weapons down," Panaka ordered.

The bandits complied reluctantly and straightened to hold their hands up defensively. Panaka gestured away from the ship with his rifle, prompting them to move forward. He advanced to force them onto their knees, then backed away.

"Fire on my mark," he declared.

"No!" one of the bandits cried, "no, please! We'll go, we promise!"

"We'll never come back," the other assured him.

"Right, right!" the ringleader agreed, "I don't have anything against Jedi, I swear!"

"Jedi!?" the first exclaimed.

"You wouldn't have hesitated to kill us," Captain Panaka reminded them.

Obi-Wan stepped forward.

"Captain!" he called.

The captain kept his rifle pointed at their prisoners, but turned his head to look at the Jedi.

"This can't be about revenge," Obi-Wan continued.

"I'm sorry, Master Jedi, but it'd be too dangerous to leave them alive," Panaka pointed out.

The first of the bandits laughed incredulously.

"Seriously, a Jedi!?"

"That's not my point," Obi-Wan argued, ignoring the interruption, "whether or not this needs to be done, what's in your heart at the moment you do it separates justice and necessity from vengeance."

"Fire."

After a short moment of hesitation, the handmaidens did as they were told and the three bandits fells lifeless into the sand at their feet. Captain Panaka dropped the crude rifle he held and retrieved a blaster pistol from the pile of their belongings to put it in his thigh holster. The handmaidens began taking their things back aboard the ship. Panaka walked over to Obi-Wan and stood before him, his arms crossed.

"Why did you question my judgment?" he demanded in a hushed tone, "we didn't have a better option."

Obi-Wan clasped his hands in front of his abdomen.

"I didn't say what you did was wrong, but when you end a life, your motivation behind it matters."

"The end result is the same."

The captain turned away and started to help the girls. Obi-Wan looked back when he heard Ruta let out a low whistle from just behind him.

"That was intense," she muttered.

Obi-Wan sighed at her and walked away. Ruta walked after him.

"What?"


	4. The Boy from Tatooine

General Aderonn stood on the bridge of his command ship as his subordinates did a quick check of all the ship's systems. It'd been several hours since Lord Sidious's last transmission and he was beginning to wonder if the Sith's plan to locate the queen's ship was going to fail. Perhaps he should have kept his technicians browsing the scouts' reports, just in case.

"General Aderonn."

Aderonn's posture straightened immediately. He'd never heard that voice before. He turned around to see a stranger clad in many layers of black cloth standing in the bridge's doorway. The man wore a hooded black cloak on top of everything, with the hood drawn up. Despite the garment hiding many of his facial features, he could see the man was no human. The new arrival's crimson face, covered in sharp black tattoos told him that much.

"Who are you?" he demanded, "how did you get aboard this ship?"

The stranger began to advance quickly, heading straight for him. His pace prompted Aderonn to take an unsure step back. He didn't look like a Jedi. Was he an assassin, sent by the Republic?

"Stop there!" he ordered.

One of the armed guards rushed toward the man, raising his blaster carbine as he moved. The stranger stopped and turned his head to look at the guard, then thrust his arm out. The guard flew backward, flung off his feet, until he collided with the far wall and slumped to the ground where he remained. The stranger returned his gaze to the general and continued to move forward until he was standing in front of him.

"Who..? Are you…a Jedi?" Aderonn stammered.

"Do not mistake me for one of their filth," the man scolded him in a deep, threatening voice. The man's stance was tense, his hands clenched tightly on either side of his body. It looked to Aderonn like he would burst into action at any minute. He hoped dearly that action wasn't against him.

"If you're not a Jedi, then…"

"I am Darth Maul, apprentice to Darth Sidious, Dark Lord of the revived Sith," the stranger introduced himself, his tone proud and severe. "In the absence of my master, you will follow my orders as if they had come from him."

General Aderonn shakily cleared his throat.

"Lord Sidious never mentioned having an apprentice," he stated, trying to maintain the aire of authority his station demanded, despite the slow chill that crawled throughout his body in the man's intimidating presence. He tried not to flinch when the stranger lifted his open hand in front of his face.

"Do you require another demonstration of my power?" he hissed, slowly clenching the hand back into a fist. "If I need to take command of this ship by force, I will."

Aderonn stared briefly at the fist only centimeters from his nose and shook his head.

"No…Lord Maul."

Maul brought the hand away from his face, returning it to its place at his side.

"Good," he snapped, "set a course for the Tatoo System." He turned his back to the general. Aderonn had to force himself not to react indignantly to the blatant show of disrespect. "I will require a fighter for my personal use," Maul continued. He glanced back at him. "See that it's prepared for me before we reach our destination."

The Sith began to walk away.

"I…my Lord!" the general called after him.

Darth Maul stopped abruptly, but didn't turn to face him.

"What is it?" he demanded.

"If there's a plan, I should know about it."

"You know all you need to know…for now."

Aderonn grimaced, but didn't say anything as Maul proceeded off the command ship's bridge. He shook his head.

"How did he get on board without my knowing it?" he demanded, addressing one of his crewmembers.

"I'm not sure, Sir," the Nautolan man replied nervously.

"See if you can't find out," the general commanded him. He paused and glanced at the door the Sith lord had exited through. "And tell our officers in the hangar to prepare a fighter."

"Yes, Sir."

~*~

Qui-Gon and Padmé arrived in Mos Eisley just as the dual suns were beginning to set. The trek had been long and hot and they were grateful for the waning sunlight. Qui-Gon estimated they would have a few minutes to scout around the city for the sorts of shops they would need before it would be time to find somewhere to spend the night.

The streets of Mos Eisley were just as dusty as the open desert. Womp rats skittered openly between alleyways, hardly noticed by the locals until one of them got in the way. Dewbacks, rontos, and other enormous beasts of burden lumbered about, led by their owners. The residents of the city all wore clothing in various shades of brown and tan, just like their buildings—and even the rest of the planet, for that matter. It was a dull shock after the vibrant colors of lush Naboo.

Qui-Gon carefully stepped around a raggedy couple huddled together against the base of a wall as he and Padmé made their way through one of the narrower streets, headed in the direction he assumed would lead them to the center of town. He felt uncomfortable asking for directions from any of the people they'd met so far. Each and every civilian they'd seen was either hunched over in an attempt to avoid contact or dressed like a mercenary. He'd dealt with mercenaries before, but those that frequented Hutt space weren't the sort they'd want to get mixed up with.

"How are we going to find a mechanic in all this?" Padmé asked him once they'd gotten a short distance away from the seated couple, "no one seems to be very helpful and we don't know where we're going."

"I'd prefer if we found the parts to install ourselves," Qui-Gon replied, "after all, hiring a mechanic would require bringing someone back to the ship. We should avoid that, if we can."

"There's still the problem of actually _locating_ those parts," Padmé pointed out unenthusiastically.

"I suspect we'll find more hospitable people the closer we get to the town's center," Qui-Gon explained. He gestured ahead. "The shops and merchant stalls should be around there. Being an anti-social merchant is bad for business, so we should at least be able to ask around."

"Fair enough."

Qui-Gon proceeded down the street quickly, looking around as he went to try and identify the proper path. He guessed it would take them a while to navigate the many streets and alleyways of Mos Eisley, but he figured they would at least be able to find a place to stay before it got too dark.

The Jedi Master stopped in his tracks when he detected something ahead. The Force was suddenly sending him vague signals, something he wasn't accustomed to. He thought about what Obi-Wan had said earlier, how he sensed something bad was going to happen, but couldn't identify what it was. Still, it wasn't necessarily something bad. Oddly enough, it felt both good and bad at the same time. Whatever he was sensing, it was strong, but not incredibly obvious. He tried to focus on the sensation. He thought, perhaps, it might've been a person, but it was much too early to tell.

"Qui-Gon?" Padmé asked.

"I'm sorry," the Jedi replied, "I thought I heard something unusual."

"It seems to me everything is unusual on this planet," the girl muttered, looking about at their dull, sandy surroundings.

"So it is," Qui-Gon agreed absent-mindedly, still thinking about the odd feeling he'd had. Whatever it had been, it was gone then.

He put a hand to his chin as he tried to locate the sensation again. After failing to do so, he shook his head and pressed on. Several meters down the narrow street, they came across an open area surrounded by thin stone walls. There were multiple exits, all leading to more narrows streets or alleys. It looked harmless, but the Jedi didn't like it. That time, he was definitely sensing something bad.

"Turn back around, Padmé," he said under his breath, "we'll find another way to go."

He heard her gasp behind him and looked back. Two men with tan scarves wrapped over their heads and faces barred them from going back the way they'd come. Qui-Gon thought they looked familiar, then recalled the two people he'd nearly stepped on while they were sitting on the side of the road. He reached back to put an arm around Padmé's shoulders and move her in front of him as he started to walk forward again. He kept himself from looking back at the two men, but he could hear them following them.

"What do they want?" Padmé whispered.

"Just keep walking," Qui-Gon replied calmly.

The Jedi directed her away from one of the clearing's exits when another man appeared in the doorway. He led her toward one of the others, but he was fairly sure they wouldn't be able to simply walk out.

"I have a bad feeling about this," the girl murmured.

Qui-Gon stopped walking and gently put one hand on her shoulder.

"This is most likely a trap set by a gang of muggers," he whispered, "but I want you to stay calm. You're in no real danger while I'm here."

Padmé nodded and slid her hand into the one of the folds of her tunic above her belt. Qui-Gon spotted a small blaster pistol inside. He squeezed her arm reassuringly and turned to face the men who'd been following them.

"Offworlders?" one of them asked, his voice muffled by the scarf.

"Looks that way," the other replied.

The third man exited the doorway he'd been standing in and came to stand beside his partners. He was dressed similarly, though he wore large goggles that hid his eyes, rather than the head scarves his friends wore.

"If they were from around here, they would've known to stay clear of our turf," he stated.

"If you'd like us to leave, we won't argue," Qui-Gon offered, though he knew that wasn't what they were really after.

"You can't leave without paying our tax first," a fourth voice replied.

The Jedi glanced backward to see three more thieves had emerged from the other outlets around the clearing. Each one of them carried a cheap blaster. All six were dressed like the lowest of peasants. A poorly-established criminal outfit, he guessed. Though their features were hidden, he could tell by their voices that they were very young, perhaps only a little older than Padmé; teenagers without something productive to spend their time doing.

"I know you think you'll gain something from this, but trust me when I say you don't want it to escalate to violence," Qui-Gon warned them, "if you want to avoid finding out what sort of people you're threatening, you need to stand aside."

"An old man and a little girl? You don't look all that scary to me," one of them retorted. He pulled out his blaster. "Besides, it doesn't matter who you are. No one's immune to blaster shots."

Qui-Gon quickly waved his hand at the one holding his blaster.

"You will dr—"

The thief let out an exclamation when a rock smacked him in the side of his head. The others turned to locate the rock's origin. Qui-Gon looked as well and saw a child perched on top of the wall, waving a second rock as he prepared to throw it. He had his face covered as well, but appeared smaller than the other boys and was no doubt at least five years younger, judging by his height. Of course, none of that really mattered; the fact that we was throwing rocks at them meant he was probably not part of their gang.

"It's that kid again!" one of the muggers growled.

"Little rat!" another shrieked, "go get him!"

Two of the thieves rushed toward the child, but he jumped down on the other side of the wall before they could reach him.

"Go!" one cried.

The two started toward the nearest of the clearing's exits, followed by two more. The four boys rushed out after the smaller one, leaving two of their friends behind with Padmé and Qui-Gon. The Jedi sighed and looked to the nearest of the remaining hooligans.

"You will drop your weapon," he commanded.

The teen straightened his posture.

"I will drop my weapon," he said, obeying the command as he did.

The other boy stared incredulously at him.

"Huh?" he breathed.

"And run away," Qui-Gon concluded.

The boy spun about and ran, vanishing around a corner.

The last of the thieves looked back and forth between Qui-Gon and where his friend had run off to.

"What are you, a Jedi?" he demanded angrily.

"Stay here any longer and you might find out," Qui-Gon replied, his voice stern and foreboding.

The boy shook his head determinedly and began to back away.

"S-sorry, sir," he stuttered before turning to run. His foot slipped in the sand briefly as he tried to round the corner, but he caught himself roughly on the wall and rushed away as fast as he could.

"That might've been a little harsh of me," the Jedi murmured to himself.

"I think he deserved it," Padmé stated indignantly.

Qui-Gon chuckled quietly.

"You may have a point. Come along."

Padmé followed him out of the walled-off area and into another narrow street. She watched the taller walls of the buildings around them as she walked.

"Do you think that boy will be okay?" she asked, "those thieves seemed really mad at him."

"I certainly hope so," Qui-Gon answered, "but if those other boys haven't been able to catch him in the past, I'm sure he must know these streets very well."

"I wish we could help him," the girl said with a sigh.

"We'd have to find him first," the Jedi pointed out lightly, "and something tells me that won't be easy."

"Hey, are you okay?"

Qui-Gon and Padmé stopped to look up. The boy that'd helped them was standing on the roof of the building just to their left. He stepped off the edge and landed in the sand in front of them, kicking up a small plume of dust as he did. He was a short boy, but his voice sounded as if it were entering the stage of puberty, suggesting he'd soon grow much taller. He wore a crudely-sewn beige tunic under the scarves that hid his face. His pants appeared to be just as rough, suggesting they were homemade. The brown sandals on his feet did little to keep the sand out of his toenails.

"Those guys like to act like they're tough, but they're just a bunch of kreetles," the boy continued once he'd fanned the dust away from his face.

Qui-Gon smiled.

"We're fine, now," he said, "thank you for helping us out back there."

The boy nodded quickly and tilted his head to peer at them through the folds of fabric over his mouth and hair.

"Are you from offworld?" he asked, "You look kind of lost."

Qui-Gon chuckled again and folded his arms.

"Unfortunately, I think we _are_ lost."

"Can you help us?" Padmé asked.

The boy visibly perked up.

"Yes!" he exclaimed. He patted his hands on the thighs of his dusty pants. "Anything for you," he added, somewhat timidly.

Padmé recoiled slightly. Qui-Gon could see her cheeks were getting pinker, despite the fine sand that'd collected on her face throughout their hike across the open desert.

"I beg your pardon?" she squeaked.

"Oh," the boy breathed. He reached up and pulled the fabric off the top of his head and down below his chin, revealing a mess of light brown hair and the face of a young adolescent male. His blue eyes were fixed on Padmé as he grinned sheepishly. "Sorry," he apologized, "I must've looked like one of those idiots. I'm not, by the way." He laughed nervously, then cleared his throat. "My name's Anakin Skywalker. What's yours?"

Qui-Gon decided not to answer first after seeing how obviously interested Anakin was in his pretty companion. He looked down at her. Padmé took a second or two to look over the boy, still trying to decide what she thought of him. Qui-Gon assumed Anakin's clumsy declaration of interest was something she'd have to consider for a while. Finally, she quietly cleared her throat.

"Padmé," she answered simply.

"Oh, wow," the boy blurted. He laughed a little and started to pick at his thumbnail. "I mean…um, that's so…fitting!"

Qui-Gon continued to watch the two, though he felt a little guilty for finding the awkward situation so painfully amusing. To his relief, Padmé's lips spread in a smile.

"Fitting?" she asked.

"Well," Anakin begun. He paused to think of the wording. "I meant it's so fitting that someone so beautiful would have such a pretty name," he concluded.

Padmé laughed while politely covering her mouth with her hand. Qui-Gon glanced at Anakin, who frowned at first, then started to chuckle along.

"I'm _really_ sorry," he said between laughs, "that was just… _bad_. I've just never seen a girl like you around here before. Most of us are dirtier…and maybe a little wrinklier."

Padmé giggled again.

"No, it's fine," she chirped, "it was…nice of you to say. Thank you."

Anakin grinned, then let his eyes drift up at Qui-Gon. His smile shrunk a little and he coughed to clear his throat again.

"Um…sorry, sir," he grunted, "are you her father?"

"No, just her temporary guardian," the Jedi answered, trying not to sound too stern. "You can call me Qui-Gon."

Anakin nodded once.

"Right. Well. Where were you trying to go?" He shrugged. "I know this city pretty well. If you're trying to find someone specific, I could probably help with that too."

"You're awfully eager to help us," Qui-Gon noted aloud, "Aren't we still strangers to you?"

"I'm pretty good at figuring people out and you seem like good people," Anakin replied confidently, "we don't get a lot of those around here."

Qui-Gon nodded slowly. He wasn't sure if it was the same thing he'd felt earlier, but he sensed something powerful in the boy. Yet, despite the power of what he sensed, it seemed buried or muffled. He was certain Anakin had a connection to the Force. Its muted signature, however, convinced him the boy had no idea he was different. And how different he was. The power Qui-Gon sensed in him was beyond any he'd sensed before, with the exception of Master Yoda's. How a simple boy from a nearly forgotten planet on the Outer Rim could be a match for the grandmaster of the Jedi Order was unfathomable.

"In that case, I think you're exactly what we need," Qui-Gon replied, smiling again. He folded his hands in front of his body. "Our ship was damaged in a meteor shower. We were able to make it this far, but that's all we could get out of her." He unfolded his hands and took the pack off his shoulder to pull a datapad out of it. "I have a list of replacement parts we need," he continued, "I don't expect you to know where to find them all, but if you could tell us the locations of the junk shops and garages in this city, I'm sure we could do the rest on our own."

"Yeah, I could do that," Anakin chirped, "but they're all going to be closing soon." He looked around. "You have somewhere to sleep, right?"

"Actually, that's one of the things we needed to find," Padmé stated, "is there a hotel of some sort here?"

"I guess you could call it that," the boy replied unenthusiastically, "it's alright, if you make sure you lock your door."

Qui-Gon sighed and put the pack back on his shoulder.

"It will have to do."

"Alright, follow me," Anakin declared as he started onward.

"There!"

Qui-Gon looked to see two of the masked hooligans rushing down an alleyway toward them. He sighed. Those boys didn't know when to give up.

"Blast," Anakin cursed under his breath, "I thought I lost them!" He spun around to face Qui-Gon. "Run!"

The Jedi reached out and took hold of the boy's shoulder before he could run off again. He held him in place and put a finger to his lips. Anakin's eyes widened in panic, but he didn't try to escape the Jedi's grasp. The thieves skidded to a stop a few meters away from their three targets and were quickly joined by the other two who'd begun the pursuit. The four teens each either drew their pistols from their belts or at least placed their hands on the grips. It was then that Anakin started to pull away.

"It'll be alright," Qui-Gon whispered.

"Alright, this is personal now," one of the older boys barked, "give him over and you two can go free."

"No," the Jedi replied bluntly.

"What?"

"I said no." Qui-Gon glared at the troublemakers sternly. "I think you boys have caused enough trouble for one day."

The boys all looked at each other, then back at Qui-Gon. One of them stepped forward.

"Are you blind?" he spat, "can't you see we all have blasters? What makes you think you can talk to us like that!?"

Qui-Gon sighed calmly and nodded.

"I can see your blasters, and I can also hear your voices. You're all very young. I'm giving you a chance many others wouldn't. That chance is to walk away before this goes any further." He paused. "You have many years ahead of you. You can choose to use your blasters and either become murderers or be killed. Or, you can choose to go home. I will not follow you. I will not try to find you. It will be as if none of this happened."

Three of the boys broke their eye contact with the Jedi, choosing to look down or to the side. The last continued to fume at him, the hand holding the blaster fidgeting. After briefly considering his options, the boy put one foot forward. Qui-Gon discreetly slipped his hand under his long coat.

"You think you can just tell us what to do?" the boy growled, "we own these streets. _We_ tell people what to do." He whipped the blaster up, pointing it at Qui-Gon's chest. The other three teens took steps away from him.

"Woah, wait!" one of them exclaimed.

"Let's just go home, Jey!" another begged.

"No!" Jey insisted, "if we let this old guy push us around, we lose everything! No one will ever take us seriously again!" He nodded at his own statement, reassuring himself he was right. "We own these streets."

Qui-Gon ignited his lightsaber a split second before Jey pulled the trigger. The bolt bounced off its blade and back into the boy's leg. He cried out and fell backward into the sand. His followers stood motionless at first, still trying to decipher all that'd happened in such a short time.

While they were still reeling from the shock, Qui-Gon spoke up, "take your friend and leave in peace." He shut off the lightsaber and stowed it back under his coat.

The three teens took several seconds to snap out of their dazes, but when they did they didn't waste any time in collecting the injured Jey and rushing away from the scene.

Qui-Gon sighed. Anakin twisted out of his grasp to face him, his eyes wide.

"You're-! You're a Jedi!?"

Qui-Gon put his fingers to his lips.

"I'm sorry if I frightened you, but please, try to keep quiet about this."

Anakin laughed in astonishment.

"You didn't _frighten_ me," he exclaimed, "you're a Jedi! A real Jedi! This is amazing!"

Qui-Gon bent down slightly to get closer to his eye level and spoke in a low register, "Anakin, please. Quietly."

Anakin nodded r _a_ pidly and put both hands over his mouth. He nodded again, then removed them.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, "I just…wow, I never thought I'd actually meet a Jedi! What are you doing in Mos Eisley? Are you on a mission? It's something important, isn't it?"

Qui-Gon couldn't help but smile at his childish excitement, but he knew they couldn't dally.

"We should be on our way," he said.

Anakin cleared his throat and put on a serious expression.

"Right. Obviously, it's something important," he stated, obviously trying to seem more collected than he really was, "you need a place to sleep." He grinned again, his face gradually lighting up with a realization. "You should come home with me!" he whispered hoarsely, "my mom! She'll want to meet you!"

"The hotel will do just fine."

"No!" Anakin insisted, "not if you're a Jedi! Someone could steal your laser sword while you're sleeping. It'd be private at my house, even if they know you're a Jedi. No one will try to attack you or…I don't know. Some people around here would."

Qui-Gon looked at Padmé, who shrugged and nodded at him.

"Then we would be grateful for the hospitality," he said, looking at Anakin again. The boy's face brightened immediately.

"Yes!" he breathed. He turned around started to walk away. He looked back at them, gesturing with his arm. "This way."

~*~

Qui-Gon, Padmé, and their new friend arrived at Anakin's family hovel after the two suns had set. It was a humble home, composed of one circular center room with a small kitchen, two smaller rooms he could see were used as bedrooms, and a third room he guessed was probably a restroom, with its door shut. The central room was a cozy living space with a table set for five and a cushioned bench that lined part of the curved wall. On the far side of the center room there was a second exit, no doubt leading out behind the house. No one was home, which was odd, since the boy claimed to have three family members: a mother, a step-father, and a step-brother.

"Maybe they're out back," Anakin muttered as he searched around the small stone hut, turning on lights as he went. He shrugged and returned to his guests. "Are you thirsty?"

"Should we help you search for your family?" Padmé wondered, her brow creased in worry.

"I'm sure they're around," the boy replied with a shrug.

"Well…after all the things we've been involved in already, I can't help but be concerned."

Anakin shook his head.

"Nobody messes with us," he explained, "my mom said it's because we're protected."

Qui-Gon's interest was piqued.

"Protected? By what?" he asked.

"She wouldn't say," Anakin replied, "but we haven't run into any trouble yet, so it has to be true, right?"

Qui-Gon looked up when he heard the back door slide open. A woman with dark brown hair and an unremarkable gray dress stood in the doorway. Her face looked like it'd been quite beautiful once, but time, worry, and the harsh suns of Tatooine had taken their toll on her complexion. When she noticed Anakin inside, her weary expression lit up, changing to a frantic mixture of anger and happiness.

"Where have you been!?" she demanded, "Cliegg and Owen have been looking all over the city for you! Even Beru came over to help!"

"Nowhere," Anakin lied.

The woman stormed up to him and threw her arms around him.

"You need to stop disappearing like that!" She stopped hugging him and held him at arms' length. "At least tell us where you going, anything! You _know_ how dangerous it is out there."

"But I'm fine," Anakin pointed out incredulously, "I always am." He sighed. "It wasn't so horrible just a few weeks ago; I don't know why you're freaking out now."

The woman sighed angrily and wiped his nose with her thumb.

"Go get cleaned up for dinner," she commanded sternly.

Anakin sighed again and did as he was told. Once he'd left the room, the woman turned to look at Qui-Gon and Padmé. She smiled apologetically and clasped her hands together.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I just get so worried about him sometimes. I know it probably isn't true, but sometimes I think he just doesn't care for his own safety."

Qui-Gon smiled back.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," he replied, "I've had my own experiences with headstrong boys."

"Are you a father?"

He let out a short chuckle.

"No, but I have the privilege of mentoring a somewhat unpredictable young man."

The woman's expression relaxed and she laughed out her reply, "then you know!" She stepped forward to offer her hand to him. "I'm Shmi Skywalker Lars, Anakin's mother," she said.

Qui-Gon returned the handshake and nodded.

"Qui-Gon Jinn." He looked down at the girl beside him. "And this is Padmé, my traveling companion."

Padmé bowed her head in a refined manner.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," she said.

Shmi giggled and bowed her head back.

"Aren't you polite? You two must not be from around here."

Qui-Gon chuckled.

"No, not at all. In fact, we owe your son for how helpful he was today. I'm sorry he worried you, but we would've been lost without him; Mos Eisley is bigger than I expected it to be."

Shmi sighed.

"Yes, well, I don't blame you for thinking it'd be smaller," she admitted, "sometimes, I think it's strange people live here at all." She paused. "Oh, I'm sorry! You two must be parched. I'll be right back."

Padmé waited for the woman to move to the kitchen side of the room before she leaned over to whisper to her Jedi protector, "Master Jedi, do you think we'll be safe here? He knows what you are."

Qui-Gon nodded reassuringly at her, but didn't have time to say anything before Shmi returned with two cups of water. She handed them over and they drank gratefully.

Shmi folded her arms and let a long breath out through her nose before speaking up again, "Excuse me, sir."

Qui-Gon looked up at her. "Hm?"

"You didn't…by chance happen to come into town from the north side, did you?" Shmi asked, an uncomfortable grimace on her face.

"We did."

She sighed deeply and put a hand to her forehead.

"He's been picking fights with those boys again, hasn't he?" she grumbled.

"I'm afraid so," Qui-Gon replied, "but we're grateful for his intervention. Apparently, they intended to rob us."

Shmi laughed an exasperated laugh.

"He can't stand those troublemakers," she murmured, "I mean, the people who live around here are happy newcomers aren't getting robbed as often as they used to, but I don't see why Ani thinks he has to be the one to deal with them."

"He has a defender's heart," Qui-Gon observed.

"Yes, and I know I should be proud of him, but all I can think about is how it's possible he might not come home one day. What those boys really need is to be taught a lesson and I don't think they'll learn it from him."

"I think they may have learned their lesson today," Padmé quipped happily.

"Who learned what lesson?" Anakin asked, returning to the central room to join them.

"Were you putting yourself in dangerous situations again today, Anakin?" Shmi asked him, raising an eyebrow at him.

Anakin shrugged.

"They were threatening to hurt them," he argued, "I couldn't just let that happen." He looked up at Qui-Gon. "But…I don't think they'll be a problem anymore," he concluded.

"Yes, that's what Padmé was just saying," Shmi pondered aloud. She looked at each of them individually. "What, exactly, happened today?"

Anakin looked back at her and grinned wide.

"You won't believe it."

"Oh?"

Anakin moved closer.

"I led them off like I always do," he began rapidly, "but they found us again and they pulled out their blasters but then Qui-Gon told them that if they kept going on like that, they'd either become killers or they'd be dead! That really freaked them out, too. But one of them was going to shoot us—"

"Shoot you!?" Shmi shouted incredulously, "you nearly _died_ today!? Why didn't you say something!?"

"I just did!" Anakin defended himself.

His mother folded her arms and glared down at him.

"What happened?"

"Like I said, one of them decided to act like a tough guy and shoot us, then—" he stopped himself and looked up at the Jedi, his eyes questioning.

Qui-Gon considered the boy's pleading gaze and briefly wondered if he should allow him to finish the story. True, the more people who knew he was a Jedi, the more chances the Separatists would hear of it, but there were plenty of Jedi throughout the galaxy. They'd have no guarantee he was one of the two they were looking for. But security concerns aside, he knew he needed Anakin's mother to know. Anakin was strong in the Force, stronger than he thought possible. He needed to find out why. After those few seconds of thought, Qui-Gon closed his eyes, sighed, and nodded his consent.

"Then?" Shmi asked impatiently.

"Then Qui-Gon pulled out his _lightsaber_ and knocked it back at him!" Anakin finished excitedly, "he's a Jedi, mom! A real one!"

Shmi straightened, her eyes widening. She slowly looked to Qui-Gon.

"Is that true? Are you really a…Jedi?"

Qui-Gon nodded sincerely.

Shmi began to wring her hands together. She did a good job of hiding it, but Qui-Gon could tell she was ecstatic.

"I never thought that…oh, I've been waiting for this. Please, can we talk?" The woman glanced at Padmé and Anakin, who both seemed perplexed by her behavior. "It will only be a little while, Ani," she assured her son, "perhaps you and Padmé can get to know each other?"

Anakin shrugged.

"Okay, I guess," he muttered. He turned to smile at Padmé, though it was an unsure smile. "We could go outside? With the suns down, it's pretty nice."

Padmé nodded and followed him out the back door, looking back once. Shmi watched them leave, then started to wring her hands again. Qui-Gon could see she was still happy for the chance to speak with a Jedi, but worry had started to crease her brow.

"I'll try to be quick," she promised. She cleared her throat and lowered her voice, "can you sense it? Before Anakin was born, his father said he could sense the Force in him."

"Yes…in fact, I was hoping to mention that you."

Shmi nodded eagerly.

"Will you take him to the Jedi Temple?"

Qui-Gon found himself astonished. In his experience, parents were generally less than eager to part with their Force-sensitive children. Most would come around, realizing what a bright future the Jedi Order could provide, but he'd never met a parent who offered her child without even being asked. He would have thought Anakin was an enormous handful that simply wasn't worth the trouble to her, if he hadn't witnessed how much she cared about him only minutes earlier. Something was forcing the decision on her.

"Is everything alright?" he asked quietly.

Shmi sighed and looked at the door the two teens had exited through.

"It's a long story…I wouldn't want to sound like I'm complaining. But please, at least consider it. He's a fast learner and I think he'd become a wonderful Jedi, with that 'defender's heart' of his."

Qui-Gon could see Shmi's guise of composure was dropping. He walked over to her and gestured toward the bench, inviting her to take a seat. She did and he joined her.

"You can tell me if you're in trouble," he assured her, "as I said earlier, I owe your son for the assistance he gave us earlier today. Please, let me see if I can help."

Shmi took a deep breath to collect her thoughts and let it out again. She nodded to encourage herself and folded her hands in her lap.

"Anakin's father was a Jedi once," she began, "but, you see, we fell in love. He knew the Jedi Council wouldn't allow us to be together, so he decided to leave it all behind." She smiled, though her eyes were sad. "For me. We loved each other so much. We must've thought that would protect us from everything."

"It didn't end well?" Qui-Gon guessed.

Shmi shook her head.

"We came to Tatooine to try and establish new identities for ourselves, to make sure no one would come looking for us," she continued, "once we had our new names, we were going to get married for real. Unfortunately, while we were working on it, a Hutt named Gardulla found out he used to be a Jedi. She tried to offer him a job, but he refused…and Hutts aren't known for taking rejection lightly. She…" Shmi paused to clear her throat. "She sent assassins. He gave up his lightsaber when he left the Order; he had nothing to defend himself with." She cleared her throat again. "They killed him."

"I'm sorry," Qui-Gon murmured softly, placing his hand over both of hers, which were still folded in her lap. He could feel how tightly they were clenched together.

"Anyway," Shmi went on after taking a little time to recover from the memory, "Gardulla spared me because she knew I was pregnant with a Jedi's child. She gave me protection and when I married Cliegg, she extended it to him and his son as well. She calls us "friends to the Hutts", but we're more like prisoners with long chains. We're going to stay that way until she gets what she wants, or until someone takes it away from her. That's why I want you to take Anakin to the Jedi. I don't want him to be forced into serving the Hutts."

"I don't understand," Qui-Gon stated, staring at nothing in particular as he thought about all he was learning, "why does this Hutt want your son so badly?"

"I don't know if you know what Hutts are like, but they like to own things that are powerful—and hard to acquire. To her, an enforcer with the skills and powers of a Jedi would be the ultimate possession," Shmi explained, "that's the job she offered his father, the one he turned down. She told me she owned my son and that she would come to collect him when he was old enough. Maybe now you understand why I was so frightened earlier." She chuckled humorlessly. "Every time he doesn't come home before dark, I have to wonder if Gardulla finally decided he was old enough."

"I can see why you would worry," Qui-Gon agreed.

Shmi shook her head, the pain on her face now blatantly obvious.

"But that's not all of it," she lamented, "I tried to explain it to Gardulla's thugs, but Anakin doesn't have any of the powers she wants. He doesn't even know he has a connection to the Force. I didn't want to tell him because I wanted him to enjoy his childhood, but now that he's growing up, I've been wondering if I should've helped him learn somehow." Shmi pulled one of her hands away from the other and rested her head in it. "If the Hutt takes him and realizes he can't do what she wants him to, she'll kill him just like she killed his father!" The hand that still sat in her lap turned to grasp Qui-Gon's. She looked up at him. "I can't lose him that way, Master Jinn. I know he's meant for great things; he just needs the chance to reach his potential. Please, consider it."

"How old is Anakin?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Thirteen years," Shmi replied nervously. Qui-Gon could tell she knew his age might be an issue. His father must have told her a few things about the Order.

He nodded slowly.

"The Council might not like that," he said, "he'd be much older than the others training at his level. Although, from what I sensed in him earlier, I suspect he'd be able to catch up quickly."

"His father mentioned he could sense a strong connection to the Force in him, even as an baby."

Qui-Gon nodded.

"Infancy is the time it's easiest to detect," he agreed, "before other things get in the way. At thirteen years, he already has many distractions. Were he perhaps six years younger, it wouldn't be an issue. The council may argue that he can't be trained at his age."

"Is there nothing you can do?" Shmi begged.

Qui-Gon placed his free hand on top of the one holding onto the other one and gave her a reassuring smile.

"With such a strong sensitivity to the Force, Anakin deserves a chance," he said, "if the Council refuses to train him, I will do it myself. If he wants it, he has a place on our ship when we leave for Coruscant."

Shmi let out a short chuckle of relief and reached up with her free hand to wipe the tears that'd been gathering in her eyes out of the way.

"Thank you," she whispered.

~*~

Padmé and Anakin waited outside the Lars' hut, accompanied by the gently-blowing wind of a Tatooine night. Without the suns' harsh light beating down on their dry surroundings, the breeze was balmy and relaxing. Padmé looked back toward the hut's door. She didn't know why Qui-Gon was so open to letting these people know who he was. Sure, Anakin had helped them out, but that didn't mean he could be trusted with all of their secrets. She knew he couldn't have prevented Anakin from finding out or one of them would've been hurt, but the boy had given him the chance to stop him from telling his mother and the Jedi didn't take it! She didn't like the idea of questioning a Jedi's judgment, but she was finding it hard not to under the circumstances.

"So," Anakin began, breaking the period of silence between them, "are you a Jedi too? Or…maybe a Jedi in training? I mean, I think you have to be older to be a real Jedi."

Padmé took a moment to think about her response. She knew Qui-Gon wouldn't be risking their mission without a good reason. If she were to follow his lead, she'd have to be truthful, but the thought of divulging everything made her uncomfortable. Perhaps vague was the way to go.

"I'm not a Jedi," Padmé replied, "we were just passengers on the same ship when it got damaged and we were forced to land. He was going into town for parts and I figured he might need help so I came along." She laughed quietly. "As it turns out, I haven't been able to help him very much so far."

Anakin nodded, looking off as he tried to think of a response. Padmé wondered if he was going to try one of his clumsy compliments again. She couldn't help but be flattered by his earlier attempts, unexpected and tactless as they were. He was a nice boy, but obviously uneducated and, having grown up in such an unrefined environment, improper. She wouldn't hold his lack of discretion against him unless he took it too far.

"When did you get back?"

Padmé and Anakin turned to see two people approaching, a young man and woman who both appeared to be older than them, by approximately ten years. The man, the one who'd spoken, looked thoroughly displeased with his arms crossed tightly over his chest and a matching scowl.

"You know your mother was going crazy searching for you, right?" he added.

Anakin sighed and picked at his thumbnail.

"Yes, I know," he moaned, "I don't know why she's acting like this all of a sudden. It's not like I've haven't been out late before."

"Just try to think about her feelings before you run off on another misguided war on small-time gangs, okay?" the man replied.

Anakin nodded and looked at Padmé.

"This is Owen, my step-brother," he introduced him, "he thinks I should sit around and not care about all the bad people in the world."

Owen scoffed.

"Hilarious," he muttered.

"He's just trying to help your mother, Anakin," the young woman chided him, "it's not like he doesn't have a point."

Anakin shrugged.

"I know, I know…Padmé, this is Beru. She's Owen's friend…well, and my friend. But that's all, though. Just my friend."

Padmé grinned, amused at the unnecessary reassurance that he and Beru were, in fact, nothing more than friends. She politely bowed her head to them.

"Guys, this is Padmé," Anakin continued, "she's from off-world. You'll never guess who she came here with."

Padmé laughed quickly to stop him from saying anything more.

"That's not really important right now," she said, waving it off with a hand gesture, "we just came into town for repairs." She smiled at Anakin. "Your brother kept us from getting mugged earlier."

"Yeah, he does that," Owen muttered, sounding unimpressed. She didn't blame him; he probably didn't appreciate being sent on a wild goose chase, only to discover Anakin had made it home on his own. "I just wish he would tell someone when he's going to do it."

"You'd only try to talk me out of it," Anakin argued.

"Because deliberately starting fights with six other guys that are all bigger and stronger than you is a stupid thing to do," Owen argued back.

"I don't _fight_ them," Anakin reminded him, "I just stop them from hurting people."

"Well, if they ever caught up to you, you'd have a fight on your hands."

"I know; that's why I always run faster than them."

Owen rolled his eyes, but Beru stopped him from continuing the argument by tapping his shoulder.

"It's not good to bicker in front of your guests," she reminded him quietly.

Owen sighed.

"You're right," he muttered. He smiled politely at the girl. "I'm sorry about that, Padmé."

"It's fine," Padmé assured him, smiling back.

Owen gestured at the hut's door with his chin.

"Aren't you going to invite her inside, Anakin?" he asked.

"Mom and the J—" Anakin stopped himself mid-word and looked at Padmé. He smiled nervously. "I mean, mom and the man Padmé came with are having some sort of discussion. They asked us to wait out here."

"That's odd," Owen muttered. He looked up at the door again. "Is something wrong?"

"I don't think so, but she started to act pretty strangely," Anakin replied. He folded his arms "I wish they would just tell us what's going on."

"Maybe your mother needs Qui-Gon's help," Padmé suggested, "he is, after all, a…well, a helpful person."

"So, who is this person?" Owen asked, his brow wrinkled in a mixture of confusion and frustration.

"I think it'd be better if he told you himself," Anakin answered cryptically.

It only served to make Owen even more frustrated, but Padmé could see he was endeavoring to keep his temper in check. Beru laughed light-heartedly at Anakin's mysteriousness, helping to alleviate some of the tension that showed on Owen's face.

"So, where are you from, Padmé?" she asked quickly.

"Ryloth," the girl lied. She sighed. "We were on our way to Corellia when the ship got caught in a meteor shower and was badly damaged. This was the closest place to land."

"That's unfortunate," Beru replied, "but, there are worse places to be stranded in the galaxy."

"Yes, at least this planet has civilization," Padmé agreed.

"Sort of," Anakin muttered.

"Don't listen to him," Owen groaned, "I know you've had a bad first day, but this planet isn't as bad as Anakin likes to make it out to be. As long as you stay away from the worst parts of town, you can live pretty peacefully here in Mos Eisley. Of course, once we have our moisture farm established, we'll be able to leave the city and the Hutts' reach. It'll be a perfectly decent life."

"You mean 'perfectly boring life', right?" Anakin retorted.

Padmé giggled a little, then quickly covered her mouth with her hand.

"I'm sorry," she said. She cleared her throat and put her hand down again. "I wasn't laughing at…well, I think having your own farm is something to be very proud of," she stated, hoping to recover from the slip.

"It is," Owen agreed, giving Anakin an unappreciative look.

The hut door slid open behind her and they all turned to look. Anakin's mother peeked out at them and smiled.

"Oh, good, you two made it back," she said.

"Is everything alright?" Beru asked.

Shmi chuckled quietly and nodded.

"Yes; we were just discussing a few things. You can all come inside."

Beru nodded.

"Thank you, but it's late," she said, "I think it's time I went home."

"I'll walk you there," Owen offered.

Beru smiled and nodded her thanks.

"Good night," Anakin said as the two started on their way.

Shmi turned around and headed back inside, leaving the door open behind her for the others to enter. Once they did, she addressed her son, "see if you can't make up some beds for our guests."

"I don't want to intrude," Qui-Gon said from across the room as he got to his feet.

"You're not intruding," Shmi replied, "I'd be honored if you stayed here with us. Besides, it'll be more private here; you're among friends."

"Thank you." Qui-Gon bowed at the waist. Padmé copied the gesture to express her own gratitude.

Anakin beamed.

"I'll get right on it," he said, disappearing into the next room.

Qui-Gon watched him leave, then nodded at his mother.

"I'll have a talk with him tomorrow, before we leave to find parts," he said.

"Thank you, Master Qui-Gon."

Padmé cleared her throat.

"I beg your pardon, but…what's going on?"

Qui-Gon smiled amusedly.

"It's a long story. You can listen in tomorrow, if you like, but I assure you it's nothing that will endanger your mistress."

Padmé sighed. If it had nothing to do with the queen, she figured it probably wasn't any of her business, but she was eager to know what the Jedi needed to tell their new friend. It seemed important, after all.

"It's been a long day and we could both use some rest," she admitted, "I can wait for the morning."


	5. The Warning

Obi-Wan had done multiple rounds of the ship before the handmaidens had decided to start preparing an evening meal. There hadn't been any sign of bandits since they'd retaken the ship. He figured those they'd dealt with earlier were the only gang that'd seen them land in the desert.

As the others used what they could find in the lounge's kitchenette to prepare supper, Obi-Wan had retreated to one of the ship's other rooms. He figured it was an extra cargo space, but it was mostly empty, which suited his needs; it provided fewer distractions. He wasn't so new to meditation that he needed to worry about being distracted by the objects around him, but things had changed since the Force had started sending him such strange visions. He needed to be sure he could focus on the visions alone. Since the ship's crew had nothing to do until his master returned with their replacement parts, he finally had the time to do so.

Obi-Wan sat in the center of the room with his knees to the ground and his feet supporting his weight. He clasped his hands in his lap and closed his eyes. He shut out the noise of the others chatting and laughing in the lounge, the faint hum of the ship's essential systems, and even the sound of his breathing. He silenced his own thoughts and put aside any notion of how much time had passed, opening his full attention to the Force alone, waiting for it to show him what he needed to see.

Faint, disorganize images rushed before his mind's eye. He'd seen that before, in his dreams, and none of it made any sense to him. He tried to focus on one at a time, but he could see nothing other than bright oranges and reds. Then, there was the foreboding black. Its appearance had always been what woke him from his dreams. Even then, in his self-induced dream, he wanted to escape. He suppressed the urge to flee.

As the Force drew him deeper into the vision, he realized the colors were beginning to make sense to him. Soon, he was standing in a desert on a strange planet. He knew it wasn't Tatooine; the sand was orange, not the unremarkable tan he'd become accustomed to in the past few hours. Spires of red rock rose out of the desolate plain. Aside from the wind tossing sand about him, he could hear strange chirps and the flapping of wings, but they didn't sound like any birds he'd ever come across. The Force chose not to show him what was making those noises. Instead, he found his focus drawn to one thing: a man standing a short distance from him.

He knew it was a man, though nothing was clear about him. He could see nothing but the dark clothing he wore. The wind whipped the multiple layers of black cloth around, but he didn't seem to be bothered by it. His focus was on Obi-Wan. It was a malevolent focus, the padawan knew. He could feel the man's malice toward him as he stood motionless, staring out at him from the shadow of his full black hood. Beneath it, he could only see the lower half of the man's face. The man's skin looked red to him, but the sun and their surroundings made everything red, even his own robes. He tried not to think too much of it.

Obi-Wan finally understood what'd made him want to run the previous times he'd received the vision. In his sleep, he'd had very little control over that urge, but in this waking dream, he was able to keep his fear in check. The image couldn't hurt him.

As he watched, the man began to move. He could see his hands reach into the folds of his robes. They were covered in black gloves, again hiding every notable detail from view. He pulled his hand out of the shelter of his cloak. In it, he held something Obi-Wan couldn't identify. At that distance, it was just a glowing red pyramid that stood out obviously against the dark backdrop of the man's clothing. The glow began to pulse slowly as what looked like a cloud of fine, inky mist began to seep into the air around it. The thickness of the black mist blotted out every detail of the man holding the pyramid, continuing on to erase the desert surrounding the man.

The darkness kept growing, covering everything in sight. Obi-Wan could feel it inching toward him as well. He tried to step back, but his feet wouldn't move. His heart began to pound rapidly as panic overtook him. He could feel fear emanating from the black mist. It overrode all of his training. He couldn't control the fear anymore and it was only growing. He knew it was the Dark Side, coming for him.

The vision wasn't just a vision anymore. Something was in his head. Or, perhaps, someone. The foreign influence was pouring into his mind. He tried to block it, but it was as effective as trying to stop a geyser with a grate.

"Master Jedi."

Obi-Wan jerked out of his trance. He gasped in a deep breath and began to breathe heavily, his heart still pounding from the unnerving vision.

"Are you alright?"

He looked up to see Rabé standing in the cargo room's open door. He endeavored to slow his breathing and nodded.

"Yes, I'm fine," he replied shakily. He grunted to clear his throat and looked up at her again. "Is something wrong?"

Rabé shook her head.

"No, but Master Qui-Gon called over the ship's holo," she explained, "he's asking for you."

Obi-Wan nodded again and got to his feet.

"Thank you, Rabé."

"When you're done there, we made dinner in the lounge," Rabé continued, "there wasn't much to work with, but it's better than nothing."

"I'm sure it's wonderful," Obi-Wan replied, smiling.

The girl turned around and headed back down the hall toward the lounge. Obi-Wan took in another breath through his nose and let it out again, hoping to readjust to the real world. The Force had never shown him such a vivid vision before. He didn't want to annoy his master by bringing it up yet again, but he thought he finally knew what his dreams had been trying to tell him and it was definitely important.

He sighed and made his way back to the cockpit. He sat down in the co-pilot's chair and activated the small holocom on the console. The little, holographic image of Qui-Gon in his borrowed casual attire appeared in front of him, his arms folded in front of him.

"Master, I'm glad to see you," Obi-Wan began, "I know what the Force has been trying to tell me. Or, I think I do."

Qui-Gon's hologram sighed.

"Obi-Wan, I told you to focus on the present, remember?" he asked.

"Yes, I know, but…these dreams have been keeping me up for the past few weeks. I needed to find out what was so important."

Qui-Gon nodded.

"What did you discover?"

Obi-Wan took a breath and let it out again. He was glad his master was willing to listen. He hadn't seen anything yet to suggest the threat was imminent, but he knew it was coming. He still didn't know what to make of the sensation he'd experienced just before Rabé brought him out of his dream state. The only explanation he could think of was impossible.

"I'm not…entirely sure what it was, but I think I felt the Dark Side," he began. "I was meditating, to focus on my vision and it got into my head somehow. I know that doesn't make much sense, but I can't think of any other way to explain what I felt. It was…terrifying. It was like someone was there, in my mind with me, but I know that can't be."

Qui-Gon's hologram held one hand up in his direction.

"I can sense your fear, Obi-Wan. Calm yourself."

Obi-Wan lowered his head and slowed his breathing just slightly.

"I'm sorry, Master."

"Those of us sensitive to the Force must be careful when communing with it," Qui-Gon reminded him calmly, "just as the Light is ever present around us, so is the Dark. There may be times you think you're receiving messages from the Light when it's actually the deception of the Dark Side seeking to establish a foothold in your mind. You must be wise enough to discern the difference."

"I've never felt the Dark Side so strongly before," Obi-Wan continued, "but I don't think it was what sent the visions to me. I was meant to feel it, as part of the warning. I think I know what's coming, Master."

"What is that?"

"Well…I saw a man in the vision as well. He was where the darkness came from." Obi-Wan paused to think of his phrasing. He didn't think his master would ever call him "crazy" for saying what he was about to say, but there was certainly the risk of not being taken seriously enough. He sighed after giving it a few seconds of thought and resolved to get it out the best way he could: directly. "I think he was a Sith," he stated in the soberest tone he could manage.

Though the Jedi Master was good at hiding his feelings from showing outwardly, Obi-Wan detected the slightest hint that his revelation had perturbed Qui-Gon. For good reason, too. He knew the significance of what he was suggesting. If he were right, the galaxy was going to become much more dangerous, particularly for members of the Order.

"There are many people throughout the galaxy who choose the Dark over the Light, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon told him, very slowly and deliberately, "they are dangerous, but that doesn't make them Sith."

"I could tell he was powerful," Obi-Wan argued, "he wasn't like any of the Dark Side users we've dealt with before."

"The Sith have been extinct for a thousand years," Qui-Gon countered.

"You don't think it's possible they could reemerge?" the padawan persisted.

Qui-Gon shook his head.

"On the contrary, I think it's likely they will return some day," he replied, "but I just want you to be careful about the conclusions you draw. You don't know many things for certain, yet you've determined that your vision meant the Sith are coming back. It frightened you to think that, didn't it? You know so little, but you let fear into your heart. Don't let it get out of control. There have been Jedi in the past who were led astray by their own misinterpreted visions, driven to paranoia."

"But you just admitted I could be right about my vision," Obi-Wan pointed out, "I know I shouldn't let fear dictate my actions, but I think a little anxiety is suited for something like this."

"I'm not saying we shouldn't warn the Council or that we shouldn't prepare for the possibility that the Sith are making a comeback, but trying to contact Coruscant now is a risk. It could pinpoint our location to the Separatists, should they intercept the transmission."

"You're saying to focus on the task at hand," Obi-Wan assumed, lowering his head.

"I know you're growing tired of hearing it, but yes."

The padawan sighed and looked up again.

"You're right, Master. I admit I let fear take hold of me. I'm sorry."

"It's in the past," Qui-Gon replied lightly, accepting the apology.

Obi-Wan cleared his throat and sat up straighter, hoping to change the subject back to what his master had called to tell him, but he noticed the man had his attention elsewhere. His head was turned to the left, his arms folded over his chest, one finger across his lip as he considered something Obi-Wan couldn't see via the hologram.

"However," he murmured. Before finishing the thought, he lowered his hand and looked back at Obi-Wan. "What you said…it's intriguing, considering what I've found here in Mos Eisley," he concluded.

"What did you find?"

"A boy. He's thirteen years old, but I could sense an incredible connection to the Force in him." Qui-Gon paused to look to his left again. "That you would have a vision like that around the same time I found this boy is strange…and I'm starting to think it's not a coincidence."

"I don't understand," Obi-Wan replied, "what's so strange about him? Force-sensitive children can be found all over the galaxy."

"What I sense in him is faint, as with most of the untrained, but it's an intense power." Qui-Gon shook his head. "I've never felt something this strong in someone so young before, not even in those who've begun the training," he paused, nodding to himself, "I think he may be the Chosen One."

Obi-Wan's brow creased.

"The what?"

"It's an old prophecy," Qui-Gon explained, "it told of a powerful Jedi, destined to destroy the Sith. After the Sith were wiped out, most Jedi began to assume the prophecy was no longer relevant. However, if your vision is truly what you think it to be, we may have the solution right before us."

"It sounds a little far-fetched," Obi-Wan replied curtly.

Qui-Gon grinned.

"It seems you've developed some of Master Windu's skepticism," he mused.

Obi-Wan smiled as well.

"Well, Master, I don't want to say you're wrong, but you said yourself not to jump to conclusions too quickly."

Qui-Gon chuckled.

"So I did. Fair enough, Obi-Wan." He cleared his throat. "In any case, if he agrees to it, I want to take him to Coruscant with us to begin the training. Even if he's not the Chosen One, I'm sure he'll be a very powerful Jedi."

"You said he's thirteen," Obi-Wan reminded him, "the Council will say he's too old."

"If you report what the Force has told you first, they may have the same suspicions I do."

Obi-Wan sighed.

"I don't think Master Windu will believe you've found the 'Chosen One'. He'll make it difficult to convince the other Council members."

"If they refuse, I'll train him myself," Qui-Gon stated.

"You know they don't like it when you get stubborn," Obi-Wan warned him.

"Anakin's age shouldn't be the only thing that keeps him from reaching his potential," his master insisted, "someone this strong in the Force should at least be given the chance to use it."

Obi-Wan nodded slowly. He knew what it was like to not be given a chance. It if weren't for Qui-Gon, he wouldn't have been chosen as an apprentice. He wouldn't have had the opportunity to become a Jedi Knight.

"I understand, Master," he admitted.

Qui-Gon smiled thankfully.

"I'm glad. Anyway, I wanted to contact you because I need you to warn Captain Panaka that we may be taking on an extra passenger. I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate being left out of the loop."

"I don't think he'll be pleased either way, but I'll see if I can't help him come around," Obi-Wan replied. He grinned. "At least I'll have something to talk about at dinner."

"You certainly will," Qui-Gon agreed with a sly smile. He nodded at him. "I should be going now. May the Force be with you, Obi-Wan."

"And with you, Master."

Qui-Gon's image flickered out as the holoprojector powered down. Obi-Wan stood up again and started back toward the lounge, thinking about what he might say if the guard captain responded to his master's news the way he expected him to. His mind had been put at ease, at least enough to concentrate on what needed to be done. Qui-Gon's theory had provided a little hope when it came to his unsettling experience only minutes earlier. After the things he'd learned about the Sith in his youth, Obi-Wan welcomed the idea that this "Anakin" could be the key to destroying them. He doubted the Republic in its lax state could withstand another Galactic War.

~*~

Qui-Gon and Padmé had been treated to breakfast by Anakin's mother before they prepared to set out to look for parts. During the meal, they met Cliegg Lars, Owen's father and Anakin's step-father, who had returned late in the night after searching feverishly for his missing step-son. Although Padmé had expected the man to be angry at Anakin, the way Owen had been, he chose to focus, instead, on how glad he was to see the boy had made it home safely, and on how happy it made his wife.

Cliegg was a kind and proud man who spoke in a way that suggested he hadn't spent his entire life on the backwater planet of Tatooine. While Owen left their home early to work at the jobs he was using to fund his dream, Cliegg stayed to make sure Qui-Gon knew of the best places to look for parts without having to worry about overpricing.

Once they were ready to go, Padmé waited for Qui-Gon to meet her at the door. The Jedi, however, seemed to have other things on his mind.

"There's something I wanted to discuss with you, Anakin."

Padmé turned to look at Qui-Gon, who had his pack on his shoulder, but showed no intention of leaving just then. She recalled what he'd said the night before and resolved to listen.

Anakin smiled, obviously still excited to be talking to a real Jedi. Padmé had never seen someone react to a Jedi that way before. Of course, people living on planets under Republic rule saw them a little more often. To her displeasure, many citizens of her own planet would take the Jedi for granted. Others would even go so far as to suggest the Republic would be better off without them, claiming they had too much power and intended to abuse it. She herself hadn't met a Jedi before the invasion of Naboo, but she knew all the things the people of the Republic demanded of their Order. She respected them for it, but she'd never felt the child-like awe she saw in Anakin. It was endearing to her.

"I can show you the way to all those shops," the boy offered eagerly.

"That's not exactly what I had in mind," Qui-Gon replied. He glanced at Shmi, who was beaming, her hands clasped against her chest. "I wanted to ask you if you knew anything about the Force."

"Sure I do," Anakin chirped, "it's where Jedi get their powers."

Qui-Gon chuckled.

"It's a little more than that, but those are things you'd be able to learn if you came with us to Coruscant."

Anakin's posture straightened. Padmé's mouth fell open and she stared at Qui-Gon incredulously.

"You want to take me with you?" he asked in disbelief. He looked at his mother, then back at the Jedi in front of him. "Why?"

"Master Qui-Gon, I'm not sure that's a good idea," Padmé interrupted nervously.

The Jedi looked at her and gave her a reassuring nod.

"I doubt he will cause us any trouble," he said.

Anakin gravely shook his head.

"No, I would never…I mean, I wouldn't even think of…" he stopped mid-sentence and smiled unsurely, "but why would you want to take me all the way to Coruscant?"

"Because you have a connection to the Force," Qui-Gon explained, "a very strong one. In fact, a connection as strong as yours is very rare. Some would say it's impossible."

Anakin laughed.

"I didn't know Jedi liked to tell jokes."

"More often than you'd think, but this isn't a joke," Qui-Gon replied, folding his arms "You have a great gift, Anakin," he continued, his tone suddenly very serious, "you have the ability to become a powerful Jedi, if you're willing to work and study."

"So, this is real?" Anakin asked slowly. He looked at his parents.

Padmé looked as well. Neither of them seemed surprised by the news, as if they'd known all along. She understood, then, why his mother had wanted to talk to Qui-Gon alone; they'd been arranging this recruitment opportunity. She understood why Jedi needed to recruit more people as often as they could, but she couldn't help thinking how inopportune the moment was. She tried to put those thoughts aside. Qui-Gon was a wise man; he wouldn't have spent this much time on something if he didn't think it was necessary. Padmé knew the Jedi were aware of things about which ordinary people like her had no understanding. If he said Anakin was strong in the Force, she could only take him at his word.

Qui-Gon allowed Anakin a few seconds to think before continuing, "this is a real opportunity, but I won't force it on you. The life of a Jedi isn't easy, though it is very rewarding. If you decide to come with us, you will spend many of the next few years in the Jedi Temple, learning the basic arts. After you're chosen by your master, you'll accompany him or her on missions throughout the galaxy."

Anakin grinned eagerly. Qui-Gon stopped him from answering too hastily by holding up a finger.

"It won't be all adventures and sight-seeing," he warned him, pausing for effect, "the life and duties of a Jedi leave very little room for anything else. They require dedication and focus."

"But I'll be able to make a difference, won't I?" Anakin replied hopefully, "I'll be able to stop people from hurting other people. They won't laugh at me when I tell them to leave someone alone."

Qui-Gon smiled kindly, his serious gaze softening.

"If the ability to protect those who can't defend themselves is what you seek, you will find it at the Jedi Temple."

Anakin's grin widened and he looked to his parents again. Within seconds, however, the grin faded.

"But…if I go with you," he looked back at Qui-Gon, "does that mean I won't see my mom again?"

Qui-Gon nodded slowly.

"Familial connections are one of the things a Jedi must sacrifice to perform his duty," he replied gravely. "Normally, our new padawans aren't yet old enough to miss their families. I won't be angry if you decide that would be too hard to do."

Anakin brought his hands together to start picking at his thumbnail. He looked away from the Jedi, focusing his gaze on his mother. Shmi stepped closer to him and knelt down to put both hands on his shoulders. She smiled at him, despite the obvious sadness in her eyes.

"I know it sounds scary," she began quietly, "but you were meant for more than what you can become here. Go with the Jedi, Anakin. You'll be able to do so much with what you learn from them. You'll be able to make the galaxy a safer place, and not just for people walking through the north side of town."

"But what about you?" Anakin asked.

"I'll be alright," she assured him, "I'll be so proud, knowing my son is doing something this important." She kissed his forehead. "And even if I'm not there to tell you that I love you, just know that I'll never stop."

Anakin smiled.

"Okay." Shmi released him and he turned to face Qui-Gon again. "Okay, I'll go with you. I want to become a Jedi."

Qui-Gon grinned, relaxing visibly.

"I'm glad to hear it," he said. He gestured to the family's bedroom. "While Padmé and I are out finding the parts we need, you can pack anything you want to bring with you. Once we've started the repairs, I'll send my apprentice to fetch you."

Anakin grinned and nodded excitedly.

"Yes, sir! Or, Master…Qui-Gon." He laughed at himself. "I'll get better at that, I promise." He started toward the doorway leading to the next room, but stopped and looked back at them. "I'll see you later, Padmé," he said quickly before ducking through.

Padmé laughed quietly to herself. Cliegg watched the boy leave before unfolding his arms and walking Qui-Gon and Padmé outside. He stopped them just outside the door.

"Listen, Master Jedi, I want to thank you myself for what you're doing for Anakin," he said, "I haven't seen Shmi this happy in a long time."

"The Order will be glad to have someone so gifted in its ranks," Qui-Gon replied, "from this point on, it will mostly be up to him how this turns out."

Cliegg nodded.

"He can be naïve and flighty sometimes, but given something constructive to do, I'm sure he'll become a hard worker."

"That's often what it takes," Qui-Gon agreed.

Cliegg folded his arms and looked to his right.

"Anyway, I want you to take my landspeeder," he continued, "it'll get the parts back to your ship must faster so you can be on your way." He looked at Qui-Gon again. "When your people come to get Anakin, I'll send Owen along with them so he can bring it back here."

"Our ship is some distance from town," Qui-Gon warned him, "I can't guarantee that we won't come under fire."

"That's why I want you to take it," Cliegg countered, "it'll be safer to travel quickly. Sand People have been spotted in the area recently, but their banthas can't keep up with speeders. I can't in good conscience let you walk out into dangerous territory when there's something I can do to help. Besides, if you're safe, so is Anakin."

Qui-Gon bowed his head respectfully.

"This way," Cliegg stated, beckoning for them to follow him as he started around the hut's circumference.

Padmé stood silently to the side while Cliegg ensured Qui-Gon knew how to start up and operate the landspeeder. She looked up at the sky, imagining she could see her homeworld over the light-years between Naboo and Tatooine. She couldn't help but worry about the people still under the thumb of the Separatist invaders. Her family was among them and she hadn't seen them since relocating to Theed. She realized she was doing all that she could, but it didn't feel like enough. Were it possible, she would have hunted their leader down herself to end the invasion.

Padmé looked down again when Qui-Gon called her, ready to leave. She tossed her small sack into the back of the landspeeder and climbed into the passenger seat beside Qui-Gon. Cliegg wished them good luck and they started off.


	6. Facing the Hutt

Anakin rushed about his family's small hovel, collecting anything he thought would be important enough to bring with him, though he knew he had plenty of time to pack. He couldn't contain his excitement. Finally, he was going to leave Mos Eisley. Not only that, but he was going to leave the planet! He'd heard so much about the galaxy beyond Tatooine from the smugglers who frequented the planet for the unscrupulous opportunities it offered. Everything he'd learned about Coruscant fascinated him. An entire planet as one, big city? Towering buildings so tall you couldn't see the bottom? He was eager to see it all for himself.

But the sights weren't what excited him the most. He was being given an opportunity. For once in his life, he was going to be doing something worthwhile, something that would make a difference. Even if the Jedi Temple were in a sewer, he would have been excited to go.

Anakin stopped when he heard an engine sounding nearby. He heard it stop just outside their home, then looked to his step-father, who had been preparing to go out into the city.

"They can't be back already, can they?" he asked.

Cliegg shook his head.

"That doesn't sound like our landspeeder," he replied. He gestured toward the back room. "Take your mother to the next room, Anakin."

Shmi put the knife she'd been using to prepare dinner down on the counter and proceeded with her son into the bedroom, closing the door behind them. Anakin went to the door pressed his ear against it.

"Come away from there, Anakin," his mother whispered.

"I want to listen," he argued quietly.

Shmi sighed and knelt down next to him, close enough to hear if there was trouble on the other side of the door.

Anakin heard their visitors bang on the door and demand for Cliegg to open it. He couldn't tell if there was a response, but they continued to knock. The man on the other side repeated his demand in a growl.

There was a loud boom, causing the door Anakin had his ear against to quake. He jumped back into his mother, who looked just as frightened as he felt. Who would bother to blast their way into a house like theirs? They didn't have anything worth stealing!

Shmi moved him aside so she could get to her feet. Anakin watched her rush over to his step-father's bed where she stuck her hand under the thin mattress. She pulled out an old blaster pistol he'd never seen before and hurried back to him. She placed him behind herself and held the blaster in two shaking hands as she pointed it at the door. Anakin leaned to the side to peer around her. They could hear the intruders in the next room rummaging through their things. It didn't take them long. Someone knocked at the door.

"Anybody in there?" a gruff voice asked.

Neither Anakin nor his mother answered him.

"Hey, we know this guy wasn't the only one home," the man continued, "don't make us blast our way in there; we already wasted time on the front door."

"What do you want?" Shmi demanded, "what have you done to him?"

"Look, we're not here to hurt anyone," the intruder replied through the door, "we just want the kid. So, why don't you come out here and we'll get this over with, huh?"

Anakin looked up at his mother, his brow furrowed. She didn't take her eyes off the door.

"You can't have him," she stated firmly.

"What's going on?" Anakin whispered.

Shmi hushed him.

"Gardulla told us not to hurt you or your family, but that doesn't mean we won't take you back to the stronghold and lock you up so she can teach you a lesson," the man growled, "open this door. Now."

"He's _my_ son," Shmi insisted, "Gardulla has no claim on him. You can go back and tell her that."

"Alright, boys, knock it down."

Shmi put one hand on Anakin's shoulder and moved him away from the door, placing him against the wall to her left. She stood back as well, with the blaster still trained on the door. The barrier collapsed inward with a loud, cracking boom. Shards of metal pelted the far wall, some of them hitting hard enough to lodge themselves in the plaster.

Anakin gulped when he realized he and his mother would've no doubt been seriously injured or killed if they hadn't moved. Still confused by all that was happening, he could think of nothing to do. He wished he had a blaster too, though he'd never actually used one before. He didn't need to use it to make their uninvited guests think twice about laying hands on them.

Four people barged into the room, all wearing various mismatched types of armor and carrying blasters. Shmi shouted at them to back off, but the foremost of the intruders was close enough to give her a swift, backhanded slap. She fell toward Anakin, dropping the blaster as she hit the floor.

"Don't get up," the man ordered sternly.

Anakin dropped to the floor and snatched the blaster up, crouching over his mother protectively. She wasn't moving.

"Get out!" he shrieked, "get out of here now!"

"Put the gun down before you hurt yourself, kid," the attacker told him dismissively.

Anakin cringed as he fired. The man standing behind their leader cried out and fell down after the blaster bolt struck him in the knee. The leader jumped forward and grabbed the barrel of the blaster, directing it away from himself.

"Put it down!" he yelled.

Anakin fired again, but his second shot just left a burn mark on the wall. There was little he could do to stop the man from yanking the pistol out of his hands. He tossed it aside and leaned down to grab Anakin's bicep in a firm hand. He pulled him to his feet and shoved him back at his allies so they could take hold of him.

"No! Let go!" Anakin shouted as he tried to pull his arms free of them.

The wounded intruder had managed to get back up by then. He pulled his hand back. Anakin flinched.

"Hey! No hurting the kid," their leader growled.

"He _shot_ me!"

"You want to say that to Gardulla when she asks why her prize is damaged?"

The injured man lowered his hand and groaned to himself as he started to limp outside. The leader pointed at the door and the two holding Anakin dragged him out into the hovel's main room. He spotted his step-father on the floor, but he couldn't tell if he was unconscious or dead. He continued to scream his protests as he struggled to free himself, but they effortlessly pulled him outside. They began to pull toward the speederbikes they"d roared in on and lifted him up to sit him on one of them.

Anakin twisted his upper body and bit the closest hand within his reach. The owner of the hand hissed at him, but didn't release him as he'd hoped he would. After tossing him into the seat of the speederbike, one of them climbed on behind him, trapping him in place with his arms when he put his hands on the speederbike's grips. Before Anakin could think of a plan to slip out, the bike was moving and he no longer dared to try it; toppling over and getting his face dragged in the sand was less than appealing. After clearing the houses, the formation of bikes sped off rapidly, showing no concern for those in their way as they forced them to move or be run down. Anakin tried to call for help, but he knew no help was coming. No one would risk their own safety by defying Gardulla the Hutt.

~*~

Obi-Wan slowed the landspeeder he was piloting as he started to approach Mos Eisley. His master had warned him about the narrow streets to the north side of town, so he guided the vehicle around the buildings to the east until he could find an entrance wide enough for it. Once inside the town, he slowed even more. Mos Eisley was a little more peaceful than he'd expected after his experience with bandits in the desert nearby. It wasn't entirely enjoyable, however; there was a remarkable scent in the air. After seeing how many large beasts roamed its streets, he figured he knew what the smell was and grimaced.

Obi-Wan tried not to put too much stock in his and his master's theories, but he hoped this Anakin Skywalker was who his master thought he was. Although Qui-Gon had attempted to ease his fears, he didn't think he was wrong about the conclusion he drew from his vision. If the Sith were truly returning, they could really use a "Chosen One" to counter them. No living Jedi, not even Master Yoda, had been alive at the time of the war with the Sith, but the study of history was standard in a Jedi's early education. He knew what they were capable of and how difficult it had been for the Order to stop them. The war had nearly driven both sides to extinction before the Jedi finally triumphed. If there was some sort of secret weapon in the form of a Chosen One to be had, they needed to recover it _before_ the Sith could push them into another war.

Upon reaching the small house his master had indicated on the map he'd bought in town, he pulled up beside it and climbed out of the speeder. He walked around it to the front of the house where he spotted a young man loitering outside, an old blaster pistol in his hand. The doorframe of the hovel was charred, with bent-in bits of what used to be the door stuck to it. Someone had recently blasted it inward. He looked at the young man again, who was watching him carefully, though he made no motion to lift the blaster in his direction. Obi-Wan considered avoiding him, but he was directly in his path.

"Pardon me," he began politely, advancing very slowly and cautiously, "is this where I might find the Lars family?"

The young man scowled at him.

"Who's asking?" he demanded.

"My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi," the Jedi replied patiently, "Qui-Gon Jinn told me I'd be expected."

"I remember Qui-Gon, but this is the first I've heard of it," the other grunted, "of course, things aren't really going as planned right now". He turned to face him. "I'm Owen Lars," he introduced himself flatly, "if you had business with my father, you should know he isn't here. While the other Jedi was gone, Gardulla's thugs came here."

"I'm sorry, who's Gardulla?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Gardulla the Hutt," Owen explained, "her people came and kidnapped Anakin, my step-brother. My father and step-mother are out trying to gather our neighbors for a rescue, but I don't think anyone around here is crazy enough to take that sort of risk." He grimaced. "I knew something like this would happen," he grumbled to himself, "why couldn't he just keep his head down like the rest of us?"

"Surely, there's some sort of law enforcement in town you could appeal to."

Owen sighed hopelessly and leaned against the wall of the hovel.

"Gardulla _is_ the law enforcement in this town," he stated grimly.

Obi-Wan shook his head determinedly.

"Perhaps I can reason with this Hutt," he said.

Owen stood up straight, one eyebrow cocked at the Jedi.

"You'd have to offer her something more valuable than Anakin," he pointed out, "and you don't even know why she took him, so I don't see how you could manage that."

"Don't _you_ know?" Obi-Wan countered.

Owen shook his head.

"Maybe he picked a fight with the wrong people," he guessed, "or, maybe she wants to improve her chances at the races. She's had him race before, but he was never exactly the best at it."

"What sort of race?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Pod racing," Owen answered.

"I thought humans lacked the reflexes for pod racing," Obi-Wan continued.

"Not that I know many humans who've tried it, but Anakin's the only one who's ever survived a race…at least, on Tatooine, that is," Owen replied.

"An impressive fact, but that alone won't improve gambling chances," the Jedi commented.

Owen nodded again.

"That's why I think he just made the wrong people angry," he explained, "it's hard for people who hate crime to live in a city run by criminals. Of course, he could've just tolerated it like the rest of us did, at least until we had the credits to relocate. But, no, Anakin always has to rile them up."

"He likes to cause trouble, does he?" Obi-Wan asked with a grimace.

"Not the bad kind of trouble, if that's anything," Owen replied, "I mean, he always has a good reason to do what he does; he just doesn't think about the best way to get what he wants before running off and getting in a scrap."

Obi-Wan nodded as he thought, looking out across the city.

"If it's about revenge, I doubt anything I could offer her would change her mind," he stated. He sighed and shook his head slowly. "But I can at least try. Perhaps she won't want to risk a fight with a Jedi." He turned his attention back to Owen. "Where is the Hutt's base of operations?"

"You're going to go alone?" Owen asked.

"The others are busy repairing the ship," Obi-Wan replied, nodding, "besides, it's not exactly my intention to start a battle. I'll have a peaceful meeting with her to at least find out why she took your brother. I can work out a solution from there."

"I can take you to Gardulla's compound," Owen offered, starting toward the landspeeder, "she and her thugs walled off a section of the south side."

Obi-Wan stepped aside to let him pass, then followed him to the speeder.

"It could become dangerous very quickly," he warned him, "if you tell me where to find the compound, you can stay here and wait for your father to return."

Owen climbed into the driver's seat and nodded, starting the vehicle up.

"We may not be blood relatives, but he's still my little brother," he stated resolutely, "I need to do what I can."

"In that case, I won't try to change your mind," Obi-Wan replied as he hopped into the seat beside him. Owen slowly edged the landspeeder out into the open street before speeding off. Obi-Wan turned to look at him. "If you plan on bringing that blaster of yours, you'll want to keep it hidden," he said, "there's a chance there won't be any shooting, but if they see it, it might cause an incident."

"A chance?" Owen muttered. He chuckled humorlessly. "I thought your plan was to have a peaceful meeting with her."

"In my experience, things don't often go according to plan."

"What experience? You can't be much older than I am."

The Jedi smiled.

"I've been training with my master for a little over a decade now," he pointed out, "and in that time I've seen a lot of things many people will never see in their entire lifetimes." He looked over again to see Owen huff out a frustrated breath. "Is something on your mind?" he asked.

Owen huffed again and squinted in the afternoon sunlight as they turned to face it head-on. He shook his head.

"I'm sorry," he began, "I'm sure it's not what I think, but people have been whispering about spotting a Jedi in town yesterday…and now, Anakin gets kidnapped. It seems a little too coincidental to me."

"You think our presence might have started something?" Obi-Wan inquired carefully.

"Jedi don't come here often, but the few times they have shown up, people got hurt," Owen replied bluntly, "then, there are the stories we get from offworld pilots and smugglers. I know it's not your fault, at least not directly, but having Jedi around makes people antsy. Gardulla included. When the Hutt gets antsy, she does drastic things. Last time, she killed her own lieutenant because she thought he betrayed her by calling the Jedi in to deal with her. In reality, the Jedi's business had nothing to do with her."

Obi-Wan sighed.

"Yes, I know our presence can make certain people, particularly criminals, nervous," he agreed, "and it's possible we may have accidentally aggravated something. But I assure you, whether we had any effect on it or not, my master and I won't let the Hutt keep your brother."

"I guess that's the best I can hope for," Owen replied, sounding less than confident.

Obi-Wan didn't blame him for doubting his chances. The Hutts were an entire race of gangsters. Some living within the Republic's bounds liked to claim they had legitimate business dealings, but he'd had yet to hear of one that was being honest about it. Those living beyond the Republic's rule were more open about their unscrupulous transactions. Obi-Wan could see why, if all Hutts had entire towns under their control.

The biggest factor Obi-Wan could see at play in Gardulla the Hutt's behavior was that there was no one in Mos Eisley to keep her in check. It was obvious she'd grown accustomed to taking whatever she pleased from those living within the city's ramshackle walls. Tatooine wasn't part of the Republic, and was therefore "legally" considered out of the Jedi Order's "jurisdiction", a term he thought undermined the purpose of the Jedi as the galaxy's guardians of peace and justice. Indeed, by the Republic Senate's standards, he really had no business in the matter, aside from recovering a potential future Jedi Knight. Still, he thought it was about time someone taught Gardulla to think twice before victimizing people who were too frightened to defend themselves. Receiving a visit from a Jedi would put things in perspective.

~*~

After arriving at the entrance to Gardulla's compound just south of Eisley, Obi-Wan noted the completely repaired walls surrounding the collection of buildings that served as the Hutt's headquarters. It wasn't unusual for a Hutt to spend more time and money on her own safety over the safety of those she claimed to protect against the wilds, but the gaping holes in the rest of the city wall were practically an insult compared to how carefully-patched the compound's walls were and the fact was not lost on Obi-Wan. He wished he could do more to take the Hutt down a few notches, but he hadn't the time, nor the authority.

The entrance was an archway like many others he'd seen in the city, but had been fitted with its own heavy metal gate. Two guards were posted on either side, each one wearing various pieces of many different sets of armor. Their lack of uniformity and apparent disinterestedness told Obi-Wan they were on the lower end of the scale when it came to hired muscle. He would've expected mercenaries in a settlement to have better access to quality equipment than bandits in the wilderness, but the gang he'd encountered the day before had much better weapons, or at least took better care of them. Nonetheless, the presence of four guards on one gate told him the Hutt wasn't entirely foolish when it came to security.

"What do you want?" one of the guards, a portly human in an open-faced helmet that appeared to be made of bone, asked gruffly.

"To talk to Gardulla," Obi-Wan replied, absent his usual politeness. He hoped he was correct in assuming manners would only get him laughed at by the mercenary guards.

"Pretty accent," the guard teased him, "where're you from? You must have a lot of credits to throw around with an accent like that."

"My business, including any and all credit-throwing, is with your employer," the Jedi replied. He had to admit to himself that he'd done a poor job of masking his disappointment.

"Well, unless you're going to throw a few my way, you can just turn around now and save us all a lot of time."

"Isn't it enough that you took my brother?" Owen demanded incredulously.

Obi-Wan glanced over and raised a hand in his direction, but kept it below waist-height in a calming gesture.

"So, this is about the runt, huh?" the mercenary surmised, "well, you're not going to get anything from Gardulla. Seems to me like she plans on keeping him." He gestured at them with the tip of his blaster carbine. "So, why don't you and your pretty accent girlfriend run along home before she has us feed you to the acklays?" he concluded haughtily.

Obi-Wan calmed his emotions, ignoring the obvious jab, and made a show of folding his arms so he could discreetly wave one hand in the mercenary's direction, just in case anyone might've been watching.

"You will take us to speak with Gardulla," he commanded coolly.

The mercenary he was directly addressing repeated the order obediently, allowing his carbine to drop to his side. Two of the others only watched, completely disinterested in their companion's sudden change of heart, as was normal for those affected by the trick. The last, however, peered at the first mercenary through the darkened visor of his helmet. His gaze snapped over to Obi-Wan and the Jedi could see immediately he wasn't as weak-minded as his friends. It actually came as a shock to him; he would've expected the least foolish one to do the talking.

The unaffected mercenary reached out to stop his compatriots from opening the gate behind them. He looked back at Obi-Wan as the other three only stood around, dumbfounded, having been confused by the conflicting signals they were getting from the two men.

"So, you're a Jedi, huh?" he grunted, his voice catching a crackly quality as it filtered through the speaker in his helmet's mask.

"Yes, and I only wish to speak to your employer," Obi-Wan replied calmly. He rested the hand he'd used atop his folded arms. "I apologize for having to manipulate your partners, but this is important," he concluded.

"Yeah," the mercenary breathed, "Bengo doesn't really think before he talks."

"Then, perhaps, he shouldn't be the one talking."

"You think that was bad, try getting him to shut up." The guard paused to glance at the portly man, who was very slowly recovering from the effects of Obi-Wan's mind trick. "Well, I guess that wouldn't be very hard for you, would it?" He shoved Bengo out of the way and opened the gate. "Come on in," he said, "Gardulla will want to see you."

Obi-Wan and Owen proceeded through the opening with the mercenary guard behind them. After closing the gate, he turned back quickly to tell his comrades to sit down and wait it out. Satisfied, he led the two young men across the small clearing that seemed to act as a plaza for those dealing with the Hutt and her followers. The area wasn't packed full, but the guard found himself having to shove people out of the way here and there.

The section of Mos Eisley claimed by Gardulla the Hutt included three large buildings, one of them being one of the city's many taverns, and two smaller buildings. Both looked like average houses, though Obi-Wan figured the Hutt and her followers had given them different purposes. Knowing the nature of Hutts, he set his sights on the largest of the five, a four-story building joined to the one on its left by an un-railed bridge leading from one third story to the other.

Aside from more of the same assortment of hired guards, there were quite a few people loitering within the compound's walls. A group of three aliens dressed in high-quality armor, though it'd been battle-damaged and well-worn, were going over the details of something they'd been presented with on a datapad. Obi-Wan guessed they were bounty hunters, though he doubted they'd find any high-value targets anywhere near Mos Eisley.

Aside from the bounty hunters and drunks were a number of other characters hoping to benefit from the Hutt's influence, ranging from the shifty-eyed information brokers to the sultry dancers waiting for their next performance. Slaves skittishly hurried throughout, running errands for their mistress. A small crowd of people was gathered around something in one corner. From the squealing and from the way the people were shouting, Obi-Wan could only assume they were egging on a fight between two different kinds of small animal. He shook his head.

"Strangely, this is exactly how I expected this place to look," Owen murmured from beside him.

Obi-Wan nodded absent-mindedly as he turned his attention to the guards spaced unevenly around the compound. The coverage wasn't sparse, but it also didn't seem efficient. There were three makeshift watchtowers, which were nothing more than platforms secured to three corners on the northern side of the polyhedral enclosure, leaving four other corners untended toward the south. There were mercenary guards placed sporadically across the plaza and patrolling around the backs of the buildings, but again few of them seemed to care about the southern side. Obviously, they were more concerned about the threats from the Mos Eisley side, rather than those who dwelled in the desert.

Obi-Wan could see toward the rear of the building to their right there was a particularly blind spot. The gap between the building and the outer wall was slightly less than half a meter thick, which might've explained how disinterested the guards were in watching that area, but it was certainly wide enough for a person to inch through. He dedicated the lapse a spot in his memory.

The guard they were following approached the largest, and most oddly shaped of the buildings and the door slid open before him. He led them inside and down a short hallway which ended in a flight of stairs. Below ground level, the building was larger than it had appeared from the outside. After heading through a few more hallways, twists and turns here and there, which Obi-Wan tried to remember, should he need to get out without the help of their guide, they arrived in a moderately-sized chamber.

The chamber was occupied by a collection of slaves, two of the Hutt's more trusted bounty hunters, and a number of Gardulla's "friends", most of which seemed to be passed out. The bland tan walls were hidden behind enormous patterned tapestries. The floor continued several meters in, until it went down a short bevel to a lowered area that'd been filled with plush cushions. Upon the cushions sat the Hutt herself, a large and repulsive slug-like creature with yellow-tan coloring on her underside, green-gray down her back, and large, slumped yellow eyes.

"What is this?" she asked in Huttese.

The mercenary who'd showed them in looked over at them.

"My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi," the Jedi introduced himself, "I know you must be busy with your affairs, so I'll be brief. I am a member of the Jedi Order and I came to inquire about Anakin Skywalker."

"You don't look like a Jedi," Gardulla criticized him, squinting her large eyes at him.

"He is what he claims. I saw him use his mind trick on Bengo and the others firsthand," the mercenary said.

"I didn't ask for your opinion," the Hutt scolded him.

The guard folded his arms and nodded.

"My apologies, Mistress," he grunted.

The Hutt waved him off and looked at Obi-Wan again.

"How can I help you, Master Jedi?" she asked politely.

"I heard your followers illegally acquired this boy, Skywalker, and naturally, I felt the need to investigate the claim."

"The Republic's laws mean nothing here."

Obi-Wan nodded.

"And yet, in my experience, kidnapping is illegal everywhere," he argued, "and for the sake of the victim, I can't ignore it. I don't want to accuse you of such a crime. Perhaps your men didn't tell you the circumstances surrounding their actions. Either way, we can put this whole mess behind us if you simply release Skywalker back to his family."

"You forget, Master Jedi, that slavery isn't outlawed in Hutt space," Gardulla retorted, "and as it happens, I control the slave trade on this planet. I can't be blamed for reclaiming my property."

"He's not a slave," Owen joined in, "he doesn't belong to anyone."

Gardulla turned her head, or at least the length of her slug body that held her face, in Owen's direction.

"Your source?" She chuckled slowly. "The people in Mos Eisley would use any excuse to bring such negative attention to me," she said, "they're jealous of my position and wealth. They think I'm bad because I need to keep the order and tell them what to do. As a Jedi, you must know how that feels."

"She's lying," Owen muttered under his breath.

Obi-Wan nodded in his direction, holding up his hand again. He looked back at Gardulla.

"We can settle this now, if you're willing to prove ownership," the Jedi replied, "after all, it's not my business to question your local laws."

Gardulla closed her wide mouth and pressed her lips together, again narrowing her eyes.

"You're not much more than a boy yourself," she growled, "who are you to tell me what I can or can't do? You are no Jedi Knight. If anything, you're just an apprentice. A padawan, as your kind calls it."

"Every Jedi, regardless of his position in the Order, has a duty to the people of this galaxy," Obi-Wan replied resolutely, "we can't prevent every case of kidnapping, but I can't willfully ignore one when it's right before me."

"The Skywalker boy belongs to me," the Hutt insisted, leaning forward as her anger grew. She let a long breath out through the two slits that were her nostrils and started to lean back again. "What will it take to put this behind us?" she asked, her tone a little more controlled.

"As I said before, I can let this go once he's been released," Obi-Wan repeated.

"I have credits to spare. Republic credits."

Obi-Wan smiled.

"You seem to know a little more about the Jedi than most people. I'm sure you already know what my answer to that is."

Gardulla raised one arm and gestured with a wave. At her command, every person in the room stood up around them and produced weapons, directing them at the two young men.

"Just a little security," she said after giving them a few seconds to fully appreciate the predicament they were in, "but I don't think either of us wants the shooting to start. I have one more offer, if you're willing to hear it."

Obi-Wan allowed himself the time to take note of where each member of the armed "security" force was located. Most were on his left, blocking off the door they'd entered from. The minority of the force was on the other side of the room and just to the Hutt's right, there were two armed female slaves, a Twi'lek and a human, standing just in front of the only other exit, which appeared to lead deeper into the stronghold.

The Jedi unclasped his hands and slowly brought them up, palms outward in a show of resignation. The mercenary guard who'd brought them came forward and pushed his long jacket aside to take his lightsaber from his belt.

"It appears I have no choice," Obi-Wan said.

"You're too persistent." Gardulla grumbled and gestured at the guard. The man advanced toward her to hand Obi-Wan's lightsaber to her. The Hutt turned it over in her large hands to briefly examine it, smiling a little. "Here's my offer," she began, "I appreciate things that are hard to get. It helps other Hutts respect me. We collect things, you see. Dangerous things. The one thing I want the most in my collection is a creature with your power. I was going to settle for the child, but I am willing to take you in his place."

Obi-Wan nodded slowly.

"My own preferences aside, you must realize the kidnapping of a Jedi would cause a stir in the Order," he said.

"We would make it legal, as I planned to with the boy," Gardulla explained, "your Order won't be able to find anything wrong with how we handle it."

"All the same, I refuse," Obi-Wan replied.

The Hutt chuckled.

"I thought as much," she said. She waved a hand at them and the closest of her followers advanced to take hold of Owen and Obi-Wan. "Dispose of them in the desert," she commanded, "make it look like the wilderness killed him."

"Get down," Obi-Wan whispered to Owen.

Before the Hutt's followers could secure him, the Jedi flicked a hand at the tapestry to his left. Owen did as Obi-Wan asked and ducked, pulling his concealed blaster from its place under the folds of his tunic. The gigantic rectangle of fabric broke loose of the clasps that secured it to the wall and flopped downward, covering the bulk of the security force in darkness and confusion. Obi-Wan elbowed the man closest to him in the nose, then gestured for Owen to follow him as he dashed toward the Hutt herself. He glanced back quickly to make sure their backs weren't exposed to immediate danger. The bar that'd held the tapestry straight on the wall was cumbersome and, as he'd hoped, the guards obviously had trouble freeing themselves from under it.

Gardulla roared in frustration, but her bulk prevented her from doing anything to stop them. The guards who hadn't been incapacitated by the fallen tapestry pointed their blasters at them, but were reluctant to fire.

"Shoot them!" Gardulla ordered angrily.

But Obi-Wan and Owen were too close to her by then. None of them would risk accidentally hitting their mistress for fear of killing her—or worse, wounding her and incurring her wrath. The two slaves standing before the other exit, however, were close enough. One of them fired, narrowly missing Owen. Obi-Wan whipped an arm in their direction, knocking them both back against the wall with a wave of Force energy. He pointed at the exit and Owen rushed toward it. Obi-Wan turned to the Hutt and quickly kicked his lightsaber out of her hands, catching it as it flew through the air. Having reclaimed his property, he followed Owen out of the room.

"Get them! Stop them!" he could hear the Hutt roaring from behind them.

Obi-Wan heard the rush of footsteps behind them and knew it wouldn't take the guards long to have them in their sights. Luckily, the passage only continued on a short straight distance before curving off and leading to a stairway. The two young men rushed up the stairs to the landing above. From below them, the guards began to shoot. Obi-Wan flicked on his lightsaber and knocked the shots away from them as he retreated backward into the next hall.

Back on ground level, they found themselves in another short hallway with one door and another set of stairs at the end. Owen went to the door and pressed a button on the control panel to open it. Three people sat at two desks inside. It was a small room, with no outlets, aside from a window. They didn't have long to consider their options before two of the people inside produced blasters. Owen quickly shut the door again.

"Blast the panel," Obi-Wan told him.

Owen did as the Jedi suggested and looked back the way they'd come.

"I guess we're going up," he said.

Obi-Wan nodded and they rushed down the hall, up the second flight of stairs, their pursuers not far behind them. The second floor hall held nothing for them, aside from another set of stairs.

"This must be some sort of express route to the roof," Obi-Wan murmured, glancing back. They didn't have long to dally. Aside from cutting his way back down through the people behind them, he saw no other way of escaping. Even if he was willing to kill that many people, he couldn't put Owen into such a dangerous situation. The man had obviously had very little experience firing blasters, and even less experience having them fired at him. His decision easily made for him, he continued to the stairs with Owen on his tail.

The third floor was just a small room before the last set of stairs to the roof. A single door diverted from the upward path they were on. Obi-Wan let out a sigh and opened it. They were immediately greeted by the bright Tatooine sunlight. In front of them stretched the stone bridge that joined the two adjacent buildings. It was a narrow bridge with no railing. Below them was a three-story drop. Obi-Wan figured he'd be able to use his training to fall that far without injuring himself, but his companion had had no such training.

"Come on," he called, starting out across the bridge. He could only imagine what a nightmare it would've been to cross it in the midst of a sandstorm. Luckily, the air was still and they were able to cross quickly.

After making it inside the second building, they arrived in a room large enough to have been the entire third floor. Obi-Wan spun about to slice the door's control panel, jamming it from the inside, then turned his lightsaber off. To the right was a railed landing, signaling the location of the staircase leading downward. He rushed toward it, but stopped when he heard more people running up to intercept them.

"Blast," he hissed to himself.

He quickly turned his attention to the window, the only other way out of the room. Below, he could see a fabric canopy stretching from somewhere above the first floor to a cylindrical tower on the other side of the compound's wall.

"Here we go," he said for Owen's benefit.

Owen looked over at him.

"You're not saying you want me to jump out that window, right?"

"We're quickly running out of alternatives," Obi-Wan replied matter-of-factly.

Owen sighed stressfully and went to the window to meet him. He looked down and nodded slowly.

"Alright, just give me a minute," he muttered.

Obi-Wan rushed to the staircase to see how close the mercenaries had become as they rushed up the flights of stairs toward them. He grimaced.

"If I had a minute, I'd gladly give it to you," he said.

Owen grumbled and put his foot up on the window sill. After pausing briefly, he launched himself out the window. Obi-Wan ran to the window and jumped after him.

The two young men fell shortly before flopping unceremoniously into the hanging cloth canopy. Gravity rolled Obi-Wan toward the center, where he collided with Owen. He let out a relieved sigh and chuckled a little.

"That hurt less than I expected," he breathed.

He craned his head up to look when he felt the canopy tremble beneath them. A corner of the rectangular cloth slipped from the bolt that'd been holding it to the cylinder tower, causing Owen and Obi-Wan to fall over each other before dumping them in the sand at the base of the compound's outer wall. Owen groaned and got up on his knees. Obi-Wan rolled off his back to do the same.

"My mistake," he wheezed.

He looked up and smiled, realizing they'd been deposited on the outward side of the wall.

"Let's put some distance between this place and us," he suggested, starting off toward a nearby alleyway. Owen trailed behind him, glancing back occasionally.

"I'm guessing you wanted that to go more smoothly," he said.

"I didn't expect her to just give Anakin to us, but I honestly have never been asked to be someone's slave before," Obi-Wan replied as they speedily walked away from the compound.

"I think the weird part was when she said she'd make it legal," Owen muttered, "I mean, I don't see how anyone could make a kidnapping legal in the eyes of a Jedi."

"I'm sure the Hutts have their contacts," Obi-Wan replied. He paused briefly to look back and see if they were being followed. After seeing the guards had yet to catch up with them, he hurried on. "Still, this Gardulla apparently likes to play at knowing more about the Jedi than she actually does. Perhaps she thought the Order would let her keep me if they wanted to avoid starting a conflict between the Republic and the Hutts. Of course, no amount of forged ownership documents could ever persuade the Council to let a Hutt keep one of our own as a slave."

"But what about Anakin?" Owen continued, "I mean, I can see why she might want a Jedi, but why some ordinary kid? We never found out what she wanted with him."

Obi-Wan led the other man out into the open street, where there were plenty of people going about their business, allowing them to disappear into the crowd. They stopped a ways down the road, beside the entrance to another alley. Obi-Wan nodded quickly, allowing himself to breathe a little sigh of relief before replying.

"She said she was willing to 'settle' for him over someone like me. I think I know why she wanted him." He straightened his posture. "Anakin has an affinity for the Force," he explained, "with the right training, he could very well become a Jedi. But as it is, I don't think he'll be capable of meeting her expectations. My master said he wasn't even aware of his connection."

Owen folded his arms.

"Wait. Is that why you wanted to rescue him?" he demanded, "So you and your master could take him away again and try to make him into a Jedi?"

Obi-Wan shrugged.

"It's not really a matter of 'try'. He either becomes one or doesn't."

"That's not the point," Owen insisted incredulously, "I mean, I thought you were helping me because it was the right thing to do, not because you had something to get out of it."

"It's possible to do something for both reasons at once," Obi-Wan pointed out lightly, "besides, this isn't exactly a kidnapping of our own. My master gave him the choice between going with us to Coruscant and staying here. He chose Coruscant."

"Well, of course he'd choose Coruscant!" Owen exclaimed, "he's naïve and idealistic. He doesn't actually realize how dangerous the galaxy can be. As it is, you're just taking advantage of the childish part of him that wants to go on adventures."

"My master said he was looking forward to helping people, not just going on adventures," Obi-Wan replied. He shrugged. "Perhaps you see these things as childish, but he thought your brother had noble intentions. I know my master would not have accepted Anakin's answer without first warning him of the danger and hard work that awaits him. He would have been given the chance to make an informed decision."

Owen sighed angrily and put his hands on his hips as he glared at the sand at his feet. He looked up again and nodded.

"I know that," he grumbled, "but Anakin is like so many other teenagers. He thinks he's invincible. You could tell him over and over about the bad things that can happen to a Jedi, but he'd still think those things would never happen to him."

"He won't be thrown into any dangerous situations without first being trained to face them," Obi-Wan assured him, "you can trust me on that; I've been with the Jedi since before I can remember and I'm still alive."

Owen groaned and took his hands off his hips.

"Fine," he said, "besides, it's not like anything I could say would keep him from going with you. If he wants to go, he'll make sure he goes." He folded his arms. "But this whole argument is for nothing if we can't get Gardulla to release Anakin. There must be something we can do."

"I think it's safe to assume we don't have any peaceful options left to us," Obi-Wan replied. He looked back the way they'd come. "But I still don't plan to leave him in her hands. I have a few ideas. For now, I think it'd be best if you were to return home and wait for your father. You can tell him I'll handle this."

"So you're going to go back there, alone, and…well, do you have a plan?"

"I have part of a plan."

Owen shook his head.

"Are all Jedi crazy?" he asked.

Obi-Wan smiled, despite the situation.

"I like to call it 'confident'," he countered.

Owen looked at the ground and nodded.

"Let's say they don't kill you…and that you do manage to get Anakin out of there safely," he looked up again, "what will you do then? Take him back to your ship?"

Obi-Wan nodded.

"I thought so," Owen continued. He shrugged. "I know whatever your mission here on the Outer Rim is, it's probably more important than any one of us, but if you can, please bring him by the house before you leave. Shmi will want to know he's safe again."

"Of course," Obi-Wan promised with a bow of his head. He gestured back the way they'd come. "For now, we should retrieve your speeder before Gardulla's people find it."

Owen nodded his agreement and they began to head back to the building they'd left the vehicle beside, where it was out of the guards' lines of sight. Both were silent as they walked, deep in thought about the challenge ahead. Obi-Wan thought about the blind spot in the compound's defenses that he'd spotted earlier. It'd provide a place for him to scale the wall without being seen. From there, he could make it back to the main building, if the compound's plaza remained as poorly-guarded during the night as it'd been that day.

Owen and the Jedi made it back to the Lars' landspeeder without running into any trouble along the way. Owen checked inside to make it hadn't been tampered with before turning back around to face Obi-Wan.

"Is this where we part ways?" he asked.

Obi-Wan folded his arms, shaking his head as he did.

"Not just yet. It's occurred to me that we haven't taken the time to think about what this rescue attempt could mean for your family," he said, his brow creased in worry, "whether I'm successful or not, I'm sure the Hutt will want to retaliate. They're not forgiving creatures."

"It did cross my mind," Owen admitted. He folded his arms and looked at the speeder. "I don't know how good a plan this is, but I've been working on establishing my own homestead somewhere outside of Anchorhead. It's still in the planning stages, but I don't see why we can't move it along."

"How would your family feel about relocating with such short notice?" Obi-Wan asked.

Owen shrugged.

"At this point, we either relocate or leave Anakin in that Hutt's slimy hands," he pointed out, his frustration apparent. He sighed. "I don't think we have a choice."

"Will you all be safe out there, in the desert? It's not the most welcoming environment." Obi-Wan thought of the band of brigands he and the queen's people had had to fend off in his master's absence. Sure, the Lars family presented a less valuable target, but he'd seen for himself that bandits weren't the only danger waiting in the Tatooine wilderness.

"I know there's the Sand People and the wild animals to think about, but I still think it'd be safer than staying here, where Gardulla knows to find us." Owen nodded to himself. "And Anchorhead is probably the most independent town on the planet. It's no friend to the Hutts, and the people there are short on water because of it. They'd be glad to have another moisture farm nearby. That's something, at least."

Obi-Wan smiled slightly.

"Yes, it certainly is," he agreed, "and it's a better plan than I was expecting. You should return home and inform the others. I don't plan on moving just yet, with the guards still on alert, so you'll have some time to pack and make other preparations. Once I've freed your brother, I'll stop by to let you know it's time to leave Mos Eisley behind." He paused and held out his hand. "Good luck, Owen."

Owen took his hand and shook it sincerely.

"The same to you, Obi-Wan."

~*~

Having waited several hours until dusk, Obi-Wan made his way along Mos Eisley's outer wall in the direction of Gardulla's compound. He'd stayed out of sight ever since escaping earlier that day, so the mercenary guards would've relaxed a little by then. Even if they hadn't, he couldn't afford to wait much longer; the repairs to their ship would be nearly completed and his master would have expected him to return hours ago. It occurred to him, then, that he should have checked in via comlink. He put the thought aside; it was too late to go back and do it over.

Obi-Wan knew he'd reached the compound when the walls started to show signs of repair. He looked up as he silently sidled by, searching for the two-story building that marked the location of the small, half-meter gap between the two walls. He could hear things had quieted down on the other side since he was last there. The Hutt's visitors had no doubt gone home by then, or gone inside to enjoy an evening meal with her followers. He could see a little light emanating from the plaza on the other side of the wall, but it wasn't much in the way of security lighting. Gardulla had certainly grown comfortable in her position, too comfortable to worry about things like a nighttime infiltration.

After reaching the building he'd been looking for, Obi-Wan took his back off the wall to face it, then took a few steps away from it. He ran forward to close the distance between himself and the wall before leaping up. Aided by the Force, he landed on top of the wall. He briefly lost his balance on the narrow edge, but leaned forward to put his hands against the building in front of him. Below himself, he could see the narrow gap. He knelt down to slide through, landing in the sand at the base of the building.

Once he'd sidled out into the open, Obi-Wan could see the plaza before him. As he'd thought, the compound's visitors were gone. Aside from the few guards patrolling the darkened area, there was no one to report his presence. The Jedi stuck to the shadows as he made his way across the plaza to the main building. To its right was the three-story building he and Owen had jumped out of hours earlier. The canopy they'd used to break their fall was still sagging, with one corner detached from its place on the adjacent tower.

Obi-Wan went up the three short steps leading to the main building's entrance and reached out for the door's control panel when it didn't open before him. He froze when he heard footsteps on the other side of the door and leapt away to swing himself around the corner. The door slid open and three people rushed out into the open.

"Get someone to lock the gate," the foremost of the guards ordered as he marched toward the three story building adjacent to the one he'd emerged from, "and put six people around the perimeter to watch the walls."

"Got it," one of the others replied. He broke off from the group and ran across the plaza toward one of the smaller buildings.

"I don't understand," the last of the three grumbled, "how did he get out? I know we locked the cell."

"We'll figure that out once we get him back," the leader replied. He pointed ahead. "If we're lucky, he's still inside."

"Don't you mean _if_ we get him back? We have no idea what he's capable of!"

"He's a kid. We can handle him."

Obi-Wan guessed the other building was Gardulla's "dungeon" and decided to follow the two at a distance, keeping his footsteps quiet in the sand and his head low. He didn't want to jump to conclusions, thereby doing what he master had told him over and over not to do, but he was almost certain they were referring to the boy he was there to rescue. If that were the case, Skywalker had put himself in more danger by giving the guards cause to hunt him. Obi-Wan wasn't about to blame him for it, though. He had no way of knowing help was on its way.

The guards quickly proceeded inside and the door closed behind them. Obi-Wan stopped at the door and waited a few seconds to give them time to get out of earshot. Then, he took a chance and took a step forward so the door would slide open before him. Beyond the threshold, there was a short empty hallway that ended when another hall intersected it. The guards must have disappeared around one of the corners.

Obi-Wan crept down the hallway until he could peer into the next one. The guards had truly been in a hurry, for they were nowhere to be found. The Jedi sighed. Without the information he needed to make an educated guess when it came to which direction to proceed in, he had to put his faith solely in the Force to guide him. He chose quickly, before his own thoughts and prejudices could get in the way. He hoped he wasn't making a mistake as he turned left, walking quickly in the hopes of finding Skywalker before the guards could.

The hallway ended when it reached another hall, this one lined with metal doors at even intervals. The doors each had narrow, barred windows at the head-height of an average human. Obi-Wan crouched to avoid being seen. Those contained within the cells were making a racket, having obviously been stirred up by the guards' searching. Most had sentient voices, but amid the excited yells were the growls and roars of large animals.

Staying low as he walked, Obi-Wan crossed the hallway to the side with the doors and stayed close to it as he made his way toward the door at the end. He hoped none of the prisoners had spotted him. The last door lacked the window the other doors had, so he assumed it was an exit rather than another cell. When it opened as he drew near, he knew he was right. Once he was out of sight of the cells, he stood up straight again.

The next hallway was short and barren and led directly toward a second door. The door was larger than the others. It slid up, revealing a small garage. Speederbikes and swoops were contained within. Most appeared to be in working order, but there were three against the far wall with pieces of their paneling missing, with a tool chest nearby. Obi-Wan hurried past the bikes to a stairway that took him to the second floor, the only other way out of the garage if he didn't want to head back outside.

After he stepped into the second floor hallway, the stairs were sealed off by a thick blast door that slammed down behind him. It had to be a coincidence, he thought; he knew no one had spotted him yet. Surely, they would have confronted him.

"This is Vex Hurleon speaking," a male voice echoed out around him. He recognized it as that of the guard leader he'd followed out of the plaza. He could hear it on the other side of the blast door as well. "The building is going into lockdown. There's no escape now, kid. Stay put and someone will find you."

Obi-Wan grimaced; he needed to move faster if he wanted to find Skywalker first. He ran down the hall and around the corner at its end. As he hurried deeper into the building, he kept his eyes open for any unconventional exits they could use once he found the boy. The lockdown would have sealed off the larger windows and any of the doors that might lead outside. He knew he could cut his way through a blast door, if the need arose, but he didn't want to keep his lightsaber occupied with door slicing if they came under fire.

Obi-Wan ran past several hallways full of cell doors, ignoring the excited hoots and hollers of the people inside them when they saw him dash past. He slipped under another blast door as it started to close and found himself in a room. The air was stale and stuffy, causing Obi-Wan to consider removing the jacket that hid his lightsaber. He resisted the urge. There was a table in the center, with several chairs surrounding it. A sabacc card deck was sprawled out over its surface. Stacks of crates and storage trunks sat along all four walls. There was only one other obvious exit. He could see above the doorframe that there was a second blast door that had yet to close. Perhaps the guards were starting to narrow down the search area. If that were the case, he could only assume Skywalker was headed his way.

Through the open door, Obi-Wan saw a guard run around a corner in the next hall. He raised his weapon when he spotted him. He took two steps toward the room in which the Jedi stood.

"Who're you?" he demanded, "what're you doing in here?"

Obi-Wan held one hand up defensively, while discreetly slipping his other under his jacket toward where his lightsaber rested on his belt.

"I believe I'm lost," he said.

The guard squinted at him through the slit in his helmet, then raised the weapon higher, to look down the rifle's sights.

"No, I remember you, Jedi," he growled, "Gardulla wants you dead."

"That's too bad," Obi-Wan replied, taking the hilt out from under his jacket.

The guard fired and Obi-Wan shifted to his left. The bolt sizzled past him and smacked into the blast door behind him. It left a small black mark on the durasteel plating, but otherwise had no effect on it. Obi-Wan placed his finger over his lightsaber's switch.

Before the guard could fire a second time, the open blast door slammed shut in front of Obi-Wan. The Jedi took a step back and looked up at it. He hadn't seen the guard use his comlink. How had they known to close the door? Obi-Wan looked around for any other way out of the room he found himself trapped in. He stopped when his attention was drawn to the corner of the room. There was nothing there that might warrant it, but he headed toward the corner anyway, feeling a faint influence from the Force. He grabbed hold of the single crate in the corner and pulled it away from the wall. A gust of fresh air greeted him and he let out a quiet sigh of relief. Behind the crate was a metal grate with hinges at the top. He reached for the panel's bottom, but stopped when he heard scratching on the other side. He remained in a crouching position as he backed up slightly, then took hold of the grate to lift it.

Obi-Wan peered into the dark metal tunnel that extended deep into the building's wall. It was a ventilation shaft, something vital for such a large building in a hot environment like Tatooine. It hadn't been wise of the Hutt's people to block it with a crate.

The Jedi squinted when he spotted something moving in the darkness. He saw a head of light-colored hair emerge from the black, just before a hand. Someone was crawling toward him on all fours. Obi-Wan watched as the head looked up, revealing the shadowy form of a young face. A fist shot out from the darkness and struck him in the nose. It wasn't a hard hit, but Obi-Wan backed away to give the new arrival room. The boy inside the tunnel shot out into the open and turned to face him.

"Are yo—"

Obi-Wan's question was interrupted when the boy kicked him in the mouth. He turned around to run, but the Jedi stuck his hand out to catch him by the ankle. The boy fell on the ground and looked back to kick at him.

"Wait!" Obi-Wan shouted.

A crude sandal smacked his hand away from the boy's ankle. He started to get back to his feet.

"Stop!" Obi-Wan cried.

The boy started toward the door that would lead back into the garage, but halted when he saw the closed blast door. He spun about and held his fists up in a clumsy fighting stance.

"Qui-Gon Jinn sent me," Obi-Wan told him calmly before he could resume throwing blows, "I'm here to rescue you."

The boy's fists dropped.

"What?"

"Are you Anakin Skywalker?" the Jedi asked.

The boy nodded.

"Qui-Gon really sent you?" he asked.

"I'm Obi-Wan Kenobi, his apprentice."

Anakin smirked.

"Why didn't you say so?"

"It's hard to talk with another person's shoe in your mouth," Obi-Wan quipped, touching the spot he'd been kicked with three fingers. He could tell his lip would be swelling up soon, but smiled anyway. "You're stronger than you look."

Anakin grimaced.

"Well, you did sneak up on me," he replied.

"We can settle this later," Obi-Wan muttered with a shrug. He gestured toward the door. "For now, I think it's time we left." He drew his lightsaber and ignited it.

Anakin grinned at the sight of the glowing blade. The smile vanished when the door behind them cracked open.

"I don't suppose you have a weapon," Obi-Wan said.

Anakin shook his head, but ran over to the wall to start pushing crates toward the compromised blast door. Obi-Wan nodded, aware of what the boy was thinking. It wouldn't keep the door from being opened further, but at least it would delay anyone from crawling through. He smiled at the boy's quick thinking as he jabbed the blade of his lightsaber into the other door.

As Obi-Wan worked to open their way back into the garage, he could hear the guards trying to get at them behind him. The door continued to inch open further, but he could tell by their frustrated grunts that Anakin's efforts to keep them out were working, at least temporarily. He heard a blaster fire and the bolt hit the wall next to him. He glanced back quickly to see Anakin run over and stomp on the blaster barrel protruding into the room from between two of the crates he'd moved.

"Be careful," he warned him.

"It's not going to hold them long," the boy told him urgently.

"We're almost through," Obi-Wan replied.

Anakin yelped and Obi-Wan heard him flop to the ground. He whipped his lightsaber out of the blast door and spun around to slice the wrist of a gloved hand that'd grabbed Anakin's leg from below the other door. The guard on the other side screamed in pain. Anakin crawled away from the door and pried the severed hand off his leg. He looked up, his nose wrinkled in disgust.

"Be careful," Obi-Wan repeated, cocking an eyebrow at him.

Anakin sighed and nodded, getting back to his feet. Satisfied, the Jedi went back to cutting an oval out of the blast door. Once he was finished, he pulled one leg up and kicked the piece he'd cut out. It fell backward and clanged down on the other side before tumbling down the stairs into the garage. Anakin ran to him with a huge grin as he looked over the melted edges left around the oval cut.

"Let's go," Obi-Wan said.

He ducked through the hole with Anakin close on his tail and hurried down the stairs, careful to avoid tripping over the slab of metal resting at their base. He pointed at the garage door's control panel.

"Try and get that door open," he suggested, "I'll start one of these bikes up."

Obi-Wan started toward the closest of the speederbikes. Anakin cleared his throat. The Jedi looked back.

"Not that one," the boy said.

Obi-Wan looked at the bike, then back at him.

"Why not?" he asked.

Anakin pointed across the room.

"That one's faster," he said, "it's got a customized engine with a eighth of the power of a starship. You can tell from the larger exhaust pipes and extended drag panels. None of these other speeders will be able to catch us once we're moving."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow at him.

"How would you know that sort of thing?"

"I used to work for a junk dealer in town, before Gardulla had him killed for dealing with another Hutt. I learned a lot about engines from him."

Obi-Wan sighed and shrugged.

"Then perhaps I should be the one to open the door," he proposed.

Anakin hurried over to the designated speederbike while Obi-Wan went to the control panel beside the garage door. He manipulated the controls, attempting to work past the override the lockdown had forced it into. The light on its surface continued to flash red.

"This may be the one time in my life I'll regret not becoming a slicer," he said.

An awful grating sound emanated from the stairway, as well as the shouts of the guards barging their way through the crates Anakin had placed. Obi-Wan made a face as he took the lightsaber from his belt. He doubted he'd have the time to cut them another exit with the guards so close to getting through, but they were out of options.

He cried out in alarm when a shower of sparks erupted from something behind him and to his left. He threw an arm up to shield his face. He lowered it when the sparks stopped and looked back to see a small hole had been blasted out of the garage door. He looked over to see Anakin fire again, using the heavy blasters mounted on the front of the speederbike. He threw his arm up again and hunched over as he ran toward the bike. Flying sparks and shrapnel struck his leatheris boots.

"Ha ha!" Anakin exclaimed triumphantly, "I didn't know that would work!"

Obi-Wan hopped onto the bike behind him.

"You're lucky that wasn't a blast door," he grumbled, "you could've gotten us both killed with that much firepower."

"But I didn't," Anakin retorted.

Obi-Wan reached around him to take the controls and started the bike forward. The bike shot out of the hole in the door at incredible speed, threatening to throw them both from the seat. Anakin let out an excited "woo!" as he clung to the bike's front panel. Obi-Wan's jacket flapped about wildly behind them as they sped out into the open desert to Mos Eisley's south. The Jedi turned the bike slightly so they flew parallel to the city's outer wall. It wasn't long before he could hear the roar of heavily modified speederbike engines behind them. He glanced back quickly to see four bikes on their tail, though they were hardly gaining on them.

The distance between the bike and its pursuers wasn't enough to dissuade their riders from firing at them. One of them had blasters on his bike, but the others used their sidearms while precariously maintaining control of their vehicles.

"Speed up!" Anakin shouted over the roar of the custom engine and the wind rushing past them.

Obi-Wan ducked quickly and a bolt rushed over his head before slamming into the sand, kicking it up in front of them. They rushed through the cloud of dust and Obi-Wan grunted to clear the sand out of his throat. He took one hand off the bike's handles.

"I heard you're a racer," he shouted, "think you can take the controls?"

"You bet I can!" Anakin yelled back, taking hold of the handles.

"Just don't throw me off."

Obi-Wan released the handles and grabbed the base of the seat to stabilize himself as he twisted back. He pulled out his lightsaber, switching it on as he did, and knocked away a blaster bolt that'd gotten uncomfortably close to them. He continued to keep their shots away from them as Anakin sped the bike up. The boy veered off into the foothills where they had some cover.

"We need to lose them," Obi-Wan cried.

"I'm trying," Anakin shouted back. He yelped when a bolt landed just to his right. "We just need to make it to the north part of town."

Obi-Wan took his eyes off their pursuers briefly to look down at the boy incredulously.

"The streets are too narrow," he argued, "you'll slam us into the side of a building!"

"I've flown in pod races before; I can handle it!"

Obi-Wan was prompted to look back again when the Force warned him of incoming danger. He deflected a heavy blaster bolt with his lightsaber, causing reverberations from the impact to run down his arm. Anakin didn't need to be told to speed up again. Obi-Wan's grip on the seat tightened when one of his feet slipped from the bike's stirrup.

"We're almost there!" Anakin yelled.

The speederbike shout out into the open as they left the foothills behind and headed back toward the city. The Hutt's mercenaries opened fire, but none of the shots could make it past the Jedi's defense. Obi-Wan looked ahead and felt his heart leap into his throat when he saw how quickly they were about to enter the narrow streets of the north side. They whipped past the city wall's gate and turned fast and hard to clear a turn. He felt the bike slow down slightly to round another corner. He heard a crash when one of the bikes chasing them rammed into a building behind them, having failed to slow in time.

Anakin swung the bike left and right to speed around a circular tower. The sound of the bikes chasing them began to fade out. Obi-Wan looked back to see that if they were still chasing them, they were far behind after being forced to slowly navigate the streets. He had to admit he hadn't expected much from the boy, but Anakin had blown those expectations out of the water.

"I think we're in the clear," he said, "head back home. We need to warn your family."

"Warn them?" Anakin asked.

"Gardulla won't be pleased you've escaped," Obi-Wan explained, "your family will be in danger."

Anakin looked back at him in alarm.

"What will they do!?"

Obi-Wan's eyes widened.

"Please! Look where we're going!"

Anakin turned forward again.

"Don't worry," Obi-Wan told him once he felt a little safer, "your brother has a plan to relocate the family."

"The moisture farm thing?"

"I can explain later. We don't have much time before those thugs go to your house to look for you."

Anakin nodded and quickly sped them through the tricky twists and turns of northern Mos Eisley. After clearing the cluttered sector of the city, they sped up in the direction of the Lars family hovel.

~*~

Anakin stopped the speederbike next to the family's landspeeder. He and Obi-Wan dismounted as his mother ran toward them. Tears of joy were streaming down her face when she hugged him. He groaned.

"Mom, I'm fine," he muttered.

"Are you sure?" Shmi asked, brushing his hair out of his face, "did they hurt you?"

Cliegg and Owen came to greet them as well.

"No, they didn't hurt me," Anakin replied, "they were too afraid they'd get in trouble with Gardulla."

"Thank the Force," Shmi breathed, hugging him again.

Anakin tried to look reluctant when he hugged her back. He didn't want to look too childish in front of the Jedi standing behind him, but he'd honestly started to believe he wouldn't see his mother again before Obi-Wan found him in that prison. Her embrace tightened and he felt her tears soaking through his shirt. Finally, she released him and kissed his head.

Cliegg offered his hand to Obi-Wan.

"Kenobi, right?"

The Jedi nodded and took it. Cliegg shook his hand firmly, smiling.

"When Owen told me you went alone, I thought I'd never get the chance to meet you," he said. He chuckled. "You pulled off a miracle in our eyes. I hope you realize how grateful we are."

"A Jedi requires no thanks," Obi-Wan replied, "I'm just glad I was able to help."

"We're incredibly thankful, all the same."

Obi-Wan nodded.

"I hate to cut this reunion short, but Gardulla's thugs will come here looking for Anakin soon."

"Yes, Owen told us about that." Cliegg gestured toward the landspeeder. "We've packed what we can."

"Then you should be on your way."

Cliegg nodded and shook his hand again.

"You can let your master know that if either of you find yourself in the Outer Rim again, you have friends in the Lars family."

Anakin looked up at Obi-Wan.

"I'll get my things," he said.

He ran through the charred doorway of the hut and to the far wall where he'd placed his small pack of belongings. He slung it over his shoulder and proceeded back outside. He looked at his mother, who advanced to kiss him a second time.

"Make us proud, Anakin," she said quietly.

Anakin didn't care if he seemed childish in front of Obi-Wan as he went to hug his mother one last time, squeezing her tightly as he forced himself not to tear up. Finally, he let go of her and turned away quickly before his fear and anxiety about leaving her could change his mind. Obi-Wan smiled and walked him back to the speederbike they'd stolen from the Hutt.

The bike started out into the city. Anakin didn't want to, but he had to look back one more time. Shmi and the others were climbing into their landspeeder. He looked ahead again and tried to think of all the amazing things that awaited him in the galaxy. Surely, with so many adventures in his future, he wouldn't have time to miss his mother. And yet, at that moment, he found himself having trouble thinking of anything or anyone else.

~*~

Obi-Wan piloted the stolen speederbike as they crossed the open desert back in the direction of the ship. He took one hand off the steering to activate the comlink built into the control panel. The channel clicked on, but he only heard static.

"Master? Ruta?" he asked, "is anyone there?"

The static fluctuated slightly before dying out.

"Obi-Wan, can you hear me?"

"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan replied, "is everything alright? The comm. sounds unstable."

"There was a slight hiccup while we were conducting the repairs," Qui-Gon explained, "but it's been resolved."

"Master, I'm sorry I didn't contact you earlier, but there were some complications on my end as well."

"Complications?"

"Skywalker had been kidnapped by the Hutt that runs the city. I've recovered him, so there's nothing to worry about now, but I realized I forgot to inform you."

"That's…unexpected," Qui-Gon replied. There was a pause. "Obi-Wan, did you harm the Hutt? Relations between the Republic and the Hutts are strained enough as it is. The Senate would blame the Order if you stirred up a conflict."

"No, no. I was careful."

"Is there anything else I should know about? What about the family?"

"They're safe. They're moving t—"

The speederbike shook when something struck the rear panel. Obi-Wan fought to regain control of the bike before looking back. There was a vehicle close on their tail. He wondered how it could have gotten so close without his hearing the engine, although even then he couldn't hear anything from it. It was a black speeder, unlike any he'd seen before. The person piloting it was also dressed in black, from head-to-toe. He was forced to look ahead again to make sure they wouldn't hit any of the boulders in their path, but he had to wonder. He thought of the vision he'd had only hours earlier, the one starring a man dressed totally in black. He'd thought the event he witnessed in the vision was far in the future, on a planet of red sands rather than brown. Perhaps he'd been thinking too literally. Perhaps the darkness he'd felt then was chasing him once again.

"Anakin, I need you to take control again," he said.

"Obi-Wan? What's going on?" his master asked through the comlink.

"We're being pursued by another speeder," Obi-Wan replied.

"Is it the Hutt's people?"

"No. I'm not sure who it is, but the speeder is incredibly fast and almost silent. It could be an assassin. I'll try to lose him before we get to the ship."

"No, you have a child with you. Bring him back to the ship and I'll deal with the one chasing you."

"Yes, Master." Obi-Wan closed the comm. channel.

"Child?" Anakin muttered in a disappointed tone.

"Take the controls and keep us on course," Obi-Wan told him, ignoring the complaint.

Anakin did as he was told and Obi-Wan twisted back to watch their pursuer. The layers of black cloth he wore billowed wildly in the wind. His speeder was gaining on them, despite the speederbike's modified engine. The man didn't fire on them again, though the flat valley they were negotiating provided him plenty of opportunity.

"Speed up," he said.

"The throttle's at full," Anakin replied, "we can't go any faster." The boy glanced back quickly. "Who is it?" he asked. Obi-Wan could hear the fear in his voice.

"I don't know yet," the Jedi replied, trying to convey a sense of calm through his voice, though the answer was far from comforting. He patted the boy's shoulder with his free hand, clinging to the seat with the other. "Don't worry," he said, "I won't let anything happen to you."

Anakin nodded his acknowledgment, but Obi-Wan could feel how tense his muscles were under his tunic. He took his hand off his shoulder and reached down to take out his lightsaber. The speeder was nearly upon them by then. Obi-Wan looked ahead again. He could see the sun glinting off something metal and knew they had to be close to the ship. He looked back in time to see the man on the black speeder pull something from his cloak.

A quick pang from the Force prompted him to ignite his lightsaber. As soon as he did, he heard the sound he knew so well: another lightsaber being switched on. A sinister red blade appeared, attached to a dark metal lightsaber hilt in the other man's hand. Obi-Wan didn't have time to be shocked before the glowing red weapon slashed down at him. He whipped his own upward to block the attack. The other speeder was briefly forced away by the impact. Their pursuer soon recovered and brought his speeder close enough to slash at him again. He knocked the other blade back, but the speeder stayed with them, allowing their attacker to strike a third time. This time, he meant to decapitate Anakin. The boy shrieked when Obi-Wan blocked it, the blades colliding with a loud crash only centimeters from him.

The Jedi looked onward. He could clearly see the shape of the ship, then. Their attacker looked as well. Obi-Wan heard him growl, then he brought his lightsaber down on the rear of their speederbike, slicing through the engine. Obi-Wan extinguished his lightsaber and threw an arm around Anakin just before the bike's jets exploded behind them. The bike lurched, throwing them both into the soft sand of the dunes. Obi-Wan landed back-first with Anakin on top of him, both dazed by the fall.

Obi-Wan managed to look up and see the black speeder rush past them, then make a wide turn toward them. He rolled Anakin off of his chest and tried to get up as quickly as he could, but was still in a kneeling position when the speeder came upon him. The man swung his lightsaber down at him. Obi-Wan leaned down again so both speeder and lightsaber blade passed over him. He looked over at Anakin, who was on his hands and knees.

"Stay down!" he shouted.

Anakin ducked low in the sand. Obi-Wan jumped to his feet and slid into a fighting stance, his lightsaber at the ready. The black speeder came about again. Obi-Wan blocked the man's attack, but failed to see his boot coming before it struck him in the jaw. The Jedi fell back in the sand, grunting painfully as his back hit the ground a second time. The man leapt off his speeder and began to storm toward him, holding his weapon out to his side. The blade dragged in the sand, searing it as he walked. He jumped toward Obi-Wan, bringing his lightsaber down over his head. The blade halted a short distance from Obi-Wan's face when Qui-Gon blocked it with his own. His master grunted as he pushed the man back several steps.

"Get Anakin back to the ship," Qui-Gon commanded him. He glanced back. "Go!"

Obi-Wan scrambled back to his feet and took hold of Anakin's bicep to pull him up.

"Run!" he yelled.

Obi-Wan ran with him back toward the ship. Despite the boy's obvious fear, he caught him looking back several times. He understood the desire; he'd never seen anything like their attacker either. Obi-Wan rushed Anakin up into the ship before stopping on the ramp to look back at his master.

The man with the red lightsaber struck hard and fast, but Qui-Gon was able to match him, deflecting blow after blow while occasionally striking back, though killing his enemy was obviously not his highest priority. Obi-Wan ran up the ramp and into the cockpit where Ruta sat. Captain Panaka stood behind her. They both looked back when he entered, alarm written across their faces.

"What in the blazes is going on!?" she cried.

"No time," Obi-Wan replied. He pointed toward the battle. "Fly low."

Ruta nodded.

"Gotcha."

The ship lifted out of the sand and proceeded slowly, hovering low over the desert. Obi-Wan saw his master look back and was comforted to know he saw them coming for him. He rushed back down to the loading ramp where he saw them start to pass over the fighting. Qui-Gon shoved the attacker backward before disengaging to turn and leap up onto the moving ramp.

"Go!" Obi-Wan cried into the comlink.

Immediately, the ship angled upward and pulled away from the planet's surface. Qui-Gon closed the ramp and turned around to face his apprentice. He was breathing hard from the effort of fighting and sweating from the heat.

"Who do you think he was, Master?" Obi-Wan asked.

Qui-Gon shook his head.

"I think you might've been right," he replied.

Anakin appeared in the loading bay's doorway.

"Are we safe?" he asked.

Qui-Gon looked over and smiled at him. He walked to him and plopped a hand on his shoulder.

"We are," he answered, "you don't need to be afraid while you're with us, Anakin."

The boy nodded.

"You should rest after all that excitement. I'll show you to the lounge."

Obi-Wan watched his master lead the boy further into the ship before heading back up to the cockpit.

"How are we doing?" he asked as he climbed into the co-pilot's seat beside Ruta.

"Looks like we're free and clear," the pilot replied, "but it'll be a little while before we can make the jump to lightspeed."

Obi-Wan's brow wrinkled.

"I thought the repairs were complete," he said.

"They are," Panaka explained. He gestured toward the diagnostic screen. "But the only parts we could get our hands on were from junk dealers. They're old."

"The hyperdrive's system just needs a few minutes to adjust, that's all," Ruta added. She glanced back at the hallway. "If our astromech droid didn't get blasted, I bet it could've sped it up a little, but what can you do, right?"

Obi-Wan nodded. Ruta grimaced at him.

"What's with the fat lip? Did the evil Jedi do that?"

The Jedi smiled a little and shook his head.

"It was a small misunderstanding."

Panaka moved to his side of the cockpit.

"Do you know anything about that man? What did he want?" he asked.

"He didn't say anything to me and it looked like he was too busy trying to kill my master to reveal his intentions to us," Obi-Wan replied dejectedly. He sighed. "I'm afraid he'll have to remain a mystery for now."

"Do we at least know _what_ he is?" Ruta asked.

Obi-Wan looked over at her, but quickly put his gaze back on the open space on the other side of the cockpit's dome. Would someone like Ruta know what a Sith was? Would it be wise to bring up something that might induce panic in the occupants of the ship? He didn't want to risk it, but surely they needed to know what they might be up against. He cleared his throat.

"We're not sure yet," he replied after a brief pause, "it's something my master will need to discuss with the Jedi Council. For now, I suggest we just do our best to avoid him."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Ruta agreed with a short, humorless laugh.

"Was there any sign he might've been a Separatist agent?" Panaka asked.

"Nothing obvious, but it would be a strange coincidence if he wasn't. I doubt he's a local."

Panaka let out an anxious groan.

"How much longer before the hyperdrive is ready?" he asked, "we need to get the queen away from here."

"Like I said, it needs a few minutes," Ruta answered. Obi-Wan noticed she didn't bother to look at the diagnostic screen. By Panaka's expression, he was sure the guard captain noticed as well.

" _How many_ minutes?" he asked slowly and impatiently.

"You act like I've patched up a perfectly good ship with garbage before," Ruta grumbled at him, "I really have no idea how long it'll take, but until that hyperdrive indicator turns blue, we aren't going anywhere." She smirked and leaned back to put her feet up on the console. "Unless you want me to land on one of the moons. I mean, there're three, so just take your pick."

"Ruta, we really don't need to start fighting each other at a time like this," Obi-Wan broke in before Panaka had the chance to continue the exchange of jabs. The captain sighed angrily and looked down at the diagnostics.

"Hold on," he began when something caught his eye. He pointed a finger at the scanners. "What's that? It's coming up awfully fast."

Ruta took her feet off the console and leaned forward to get a better look.

"Yeah, you're right," she muttered, "too fast to be anything other than another ship. Looks like it's too big to be one of those vulture droids. I'd say it's a starfighter."

"Let's hope they aren't here for us," Obi-Wan commented, looking down at the screen as well.

"I wish I could tell you they weren't, but it's heading straight for us," Ruta said urgently. She reached over to press the button that would activate the ship's intercom. "Hey, Master Qui-Gon," she announced, "you might want to get up here."

Captain Panaka sat in the empty seat behind Obi-Wan's, but didn't fasten the belt. He leaned forward to keep an eye on the console. Ruta shook her head.

"I guess I can try hailing them," she murmured as she pressed another button.

"Keep the communications screen switched off," Obi-Wan suggested, "we don't need them peering into our ship". Ruta nodded.

"This is _Captain_ Vostana of the transport _Dawnstar_ ," she said into the console, "we see you on our scanners and have to wonder why you're speeding toward us like that. You're making our passengers nervous."

"You couldn't be more professional?" Panaka asked.

"Nope," Ruta chirped, "this is the Outer Rim, remember?"

There was a moment of static as they waited for a response. Qui-Gon arrived in the cockpit and stood behind the pilot's chair.

"An enemy?" he asked.

"We're waiting for a response to our hail," Ruta informed him.

"If you can call that a hail," the guard captain grumbled to himself.

Finally, the static ceased and a deep, chilling voice entered the cockpit, "surrender the queen and her Jedi escorts to me and I will allow you to leave this system alive."

Ruta glanced over at Obi-Wan.

"Ahh, we don't have any royalty aboard," she replied to the other ship, "we're just a small transport on our way to-"

The comm. screen flicked on of its own accord and Ruta jumped back in her seat. A man in a pitch black hood appeared on the console. The darkness of the starfighter's cockpit kept them from identifying him, but it was easy to see he was the same man they'd encountered in the desert.

Ruta shook her head.

"How did he…?"

"He has knowledge of the Force," Qui-Gon mumbled quietly.

"Don't make the mistake of thinking I'm a fool," the man on the screen growled, "if you test me, I'll see to it that you're granted a slow death." His head angled upward slightly and the light from the fighter's console glinted off the eyes hidden under the hood, revealing an unnatural yellow. "Tell me, Jedi," he continued, "are you willing to let these people die for you?"

"We don't have any Jedi on—"

"Silence, idiot" the man interrupted Ruta, his tone unconcerned, "I am addressing the Jedi who ran from me in the desert. The Order is weak, but I never expected such cowardice from a supposed master."

Qui-Gon stepped out from behind Ruta's chair, putting himself in view.

"You have my attention," he said, "who are you?"

"If you need some way to refer to me, you may call me 'my lord'," the man replied haughtily.

"Oof," Ruta grumbled quietly, "you know, I don't see that happening."

Obi-Wan nodded his agreement.

"We have no intention of surrendering to you, creature, nor of killing you" Qui-Gon stated, his tone calm and professional, "but if you continue to hinder us in our mission, we will use whatever force is required."

"I would like to see that," the starfighter pilot hissed at him. The comm. channel and the screen attached to it clicked off, ending the conversation.

"That's not good," Captain Panaka commented tensely.

Qui-Gon leaned closer to Ruta.

"Time for some fancy flying," he told her.

"You guys are really making me earn my paycheck." She activated the ship's intercom again. "Everybody strap in. We're going for a ride."

Qui-Gon sat down in the chair behind Ruta's. Captain Panaka fastened his seat's restraints and sighed. Obi-Wan looked back toward the cockpit's entrance when he heard someone's feet on the threshold. Anakin stood near the doorway, stretching his neck upward to get a look at the console. Qui-Gon looked back as well.

"Go back to the lounge," he said, "there are safety restraints."

Anakin moved forward to grab onto the back of Panaka's chair.

"I want to see," he replied.

"Do as I say, Anakin."

The ship shook violently and the boy was thrown to his left. Qui-Gon stretched out an arm to catch him before he could hit his head on the chair's armrest. He pulled Anakin closer to himself and secured his arm around his midsection protectively.

"What was that?" Panaka asked, "I thought we were trying to evade him."

"Do _you_ want to fly the ship?" Ruta demanded through clenched teeth.

"Yes!" Anakin exclaimed.

"I wasn't talking to you, Shorty." She turned the ship hard. "Blast!" The vessel shook again. "This guy's good. It's like he knows where I'm going to go before I go! That's impossible, right?"

"His training in the Force has given him the reflexes of a Jedi," Qui-Gon replied.

Ruta groaned.

"Normally, I'd love a challenge, but this is ridiculous. I can't shake him!"

Obi-Wan pointed at the scanners and looked back at Qui-Gon.

"Master, he only shoots when we try to turn away. I think he's directing us toward that moon ahead."

Qui-Gon shifted Anakin to his other arm so he could better see the screen. He looked up through the cockpit's dome at the bland ball of grey rock they were approaching. It wasn't the largest of the three moons orbiting Tatooine, but it was plenty large enough to hide an outpost or docked ship.

"Do a concentrated scan," he said, "find out what's on that moon."

Obi-Wan did as he was told while Ruta continued attempting to escape the fighter corralling them toward it. The ship shook again.

"Blast!" the pilot shrieked, "if we keep this up, he'll knock out the hyperdrive again.

"That fighter is too small to have its own hyperdrive," Qui-Gon noted, "how much longer until we can make the jump to lightspeed?"

"Like I told naggy over here," she gestured at Panaka with her thumb, "I have no damned clue. The parts we got are old. I don't know how long it'll take for the systems to compensate."

Anakin grabbed hold of Ruta's chair to look at the diagnostic screen.

"How long ago did you install them?" he asked.

Ruta glanced back at him.

"What're you still doing in here?" she asked.

"How long ago was it?"

"An hour and maybe ten minutes," Captain Panaka answered for her.

"Alright, so you have about ten minutes left," Anakin continued, "the ship just needs time to blow all the sand out and lubricate the parts, then stabilize the connections to its systems. People used to complain about this all the time at the junk shop."

"In ten minutes, we'll be at that moon and probably blown into space junk," Ruta grumbled, "we don't have enough time." She roared in frustration when another attempt to escape the starfighter behind them failed. "Listen, guys, I'm open to any suggestions! Someone here has to have an idea!"

"Let me fly the ship," Anakin offered.

"It was funny the first time, Shorty."

"Master," Obi-Wan spoke up, "the scan found nothing on the moon, but there's a large mass behind it." He looked ahead. "At the rate we're going, we should be able to see it soon."

As the ship was chased around the small moon, the side paneling of another ship came into view. Seconds later, they could see it was a cruiser with the Separatist's emblem painted on the side of its bridge.

"Son of a bantha," Ruta breathed as she took in the full scale of their predicament.

They were being forced toward the Separatists' command ship. The cruiser wasn't as large as a battleship, but it was easy to see how many guns were mounted to its hull. The docking bay door was open, ready to receive them.

"Fly away," Panaka insisted, "get us out of here. We can't allow them to recapture the queen."

"We're almost in range of their tractor beam," Obi-Wan warned Ruta.

"It's no use, alright!?" the pilot hissed through clenched teeth, "every turn I make, he's there first. I dive, he's already there to catch us. I've done everything I can!"

"I thought you were good at this," Panaka growled.

" _I am_!"

Anakin pulled out of Qui-Gon's grasp and ran up next to the pilot's seat.

"Let me fly the ship," he repeated.

"Shorty, have you even set foot in a cockpit before?"

"Not one that was flying, but I can do this. I race speederbikes all the time and I almost always win. I've even survived pod races."

"Now you're just lying," Ruta grumbled at him.

Obi-Wan leaned over to look at her.

"He pilots a speederbike better than I can, if that means anything," he contributed.

"It means he can pilot a speederbike," Ruta argued, "starships and speederbikes aren't the same thing."

"No, it means I can fly around things at high speeds without crashing," Anakin retorted. He shrugged. "Isn't that what we need right now?"

Ruta sighed in resignation.

"Alright," she murmured.

Ruta started to get out of her seat. Captain Panaka clicked his restraints off and got to his feet.

"What?" he demanded, "are you crazy?"

Ruta turned to face him.

"When you run out of good ideas, you have to go with a bad one," she stated.

Anakin eagerly hopped into the pilot's seat and secured the restraints before putting his hands on the controls.

"No," Panaka insisted, "no, I can't leave the queen's safety in the hands of some kid!"

Qui-Gon stood up beside him.

"Have patience, Captain," he whispered, "the Force is with this boy."

"There's a thin line between Jedi wisdom and lunatic's ramblings," Panaka whispered back.

Obi-Wan glanced back at them. He tried not to feel insulted, but it wasn't easy. His rising anger was extinguished when he saw how well his master kept his calm.

"People are quick to judge things they don't understand," Qui-Gon replied, "but this is just a matter of faith. I have faith in this boy. Do you have faith in me?"

Panaka sighed.

"Of course I do, Master Jedi, but we don't know him."

"The Force knows him. It will guide him."

Panaka slowly sat back down and put his hand to his forehead.

"I hope you're right."

Anakin looked back.

"So…are we good?" he asked.

Ruta leaned over the pilot's chair.

"Just go, Shorty. We'll be in the Separatists' tractor beam if we wait any longer."

Anakin grinned and put his hand on the throttle, then pulled it down hard. The ship slowed to crawl.

"Woah, wait a minute, we want to make it harder for him to catch us, not easier!" Ruta exclaimed.

"Just wait," Anakin replied confidently.

The blip on the scanners that was the enemy starfighter gained on them quickly.

"Anytime, kid," Panaka groaned.

"Almost," Anakin muttered. He was focused on the scanners with one hand on the throttle and the other on the steering yoke.

Obi-Wan would have protested, if he couldn't feel the strong concentration of Force energy surrounding their young friend. The boy didn't know it, but he was communing with the Force like a trained padawan. And yet, it was stronger in him than anything he'd felt in anyone else. With, of course, the exception of Yoda, Grandmaster of the Jedi Order. He looked back at his master, his eyes wide. Qui-Gon nodded knowingly at him. He understood, then, why he'd been so keen on bringing the boy back to Coruscant.

Obi-Wan turned his attention back to the console. The blip drew steadily closer to the one that represented their ship. It was nearly on top of them before Anakin rammed the throttle to full and angled the ship down hard into a high-speed dive. Obi-Wan watched the enemy fighter's blip scramble to get back on their tail. He smiled when he realized what the boy did.

"Oh, I see," Ruta whispered. By her tone, Obi-Wan could tell she was mildly impressed. "When you got him that close, he couldn't react quickly enough."

Anakin nodded.

"You said it was like he could predict what you were going to do, right? You just have to become unpredictable. That's something you need to learn fast when you're in the middle of a pod race."

Obi-Wan smiled at him.

"Alright, that was a neat trick, but we're not out of it yet," Ruta pointed out, "he's already coming back. We need him off our back until the hyperdrive is online."

"I have an idea," Anakin assured her.

The ship whipped around and flew straight for the grey moon to their left. The starfighter chasing them fired wildly, attempting to regain control of them, but Anakin threw the ship into a sharp twist. With the transport rolling the way it was, the fighter would need to aim at their center to hit them. Of course, that ran the risk of destroying them altogether and they knew he wanted them alive. Obi-Wan closed his eyes to avoid getting dizzy.

"Careful, you'll need to slow us down if you want to make it into that crater without crushing us," Ruta told him.

Anakin nodded.

The ship stopped rolling and slowed down as they approached a large crater in the moon's surface. Anakin angled the ship up again so they flew parallel with the crater's bottom. The starfighter followed them. The transport powered on toward a narrow canyon that led out of the crater. The fighter began to shoot again. The ship quaked when a blast hit their deflector shield hard. Everyone in the cockpit stayed silent, most holding their breath as the ship turned vertical to enter the canyon. Grey shards of sharp rock reached out at them from the canyon walls as they flew past, navigating sharp turns and sudden drops. The fighter chasing them was able to follow, but couldn't get a clear shot at them with such a complicated rock maze between them.

"He's locking onto us," Obi-Wan warned him, "he's going to fire a homing missile."

Anakin glanced down at the scanners.

"Uh oh," he murmured.

The missile fired and was soon gaining on them, despite the difficult twists and turns of the canyon's path.

"So, I can fly, but I have no idea what to do about missiles," Anakin stated for the others.

Obi-Wan watched the missile approach on the scanners. Ruta moved to his side of the cockpit and pointed at the console.

"Garbage dump," she said.

Obi-Wan grinned and pressed the button to purge their trash chutes. Scrap metal and pieces of all manner of refuse flew out of a hole in the rear of the transport's bulk. The missile collided with the mass of trash.

"Agh!" Anakin exclaimed when the ship was flung forward by the explosion behind them. He fought to maintain control of the ship. "Is the ship alright?" he asked through clenched teeth.

Obi-Wan checked the diagnostic screen.

"We got a little cooked, but we'll survive," he answered. He smiled when the hyperdrive indicator switched from orange to blue. "And the hyperdrive's online." He began plotting the course for Coruscant.

"Get us out of here, Shorty," Ruta said triumphantly.

Anakin shot the ship upward and out of the moon's canyon. Once they were clear, Obi-Wan punched the button that would bring the hyperdrive to life. The ship rocketed off into hyperspace, leaving the dusty ball of sand that was Tatooine far behind.


	7. Return to Coruscant

Darth Maul strode furiously onto the bridge of General Aderonn's command ship. The guards on either side of the door shrunk back as he passed. They were weak, cowardly creatures, he thought. They weren't fit to serve the revived Sith Empire, in his opinion, but his master showed little concern for his opinions on such matters. He knew Darth Sidious was a brilliant man, and a fearsomely powerful Sith Lord. He had a plan for the future of the Sith, one he neglected to share with his apprentice. But Darth Maul knew some day that would have to change. It was the way of the Sith. To encourage progress, he would one day need to challenge his master and defeat him. Then, he would become the master and there would be no more secrets kept from him.

General Aderonn was waiting for him on the bridge, hands clasped behind his back. Like his underlings, he was powerless and fearful. Maul liked, at least, that he tried to hide it in his presence. It was a fool's courage and that sort of courage was the most entertaining to break.

"General," he growled, "where is Queen Amidala?"

Aderonn cleared his throat.

"You allowed her to escape the system," he said defiantly.

Maul grinned, revealing two rows of sharp, pointed teeth.

"Did I, General?" he asked in a hiss, "because I remember doing my part. I remember being in sight of this ship. I could see the docking bay, open and inviting as they approached." He stepped closer so that his nose was mere centimeters from the other man's. "But you failed to pull them in."

Maul was visibly taller than the general, but he could tell the man was trying very hard to ignore the intimidating height difference. He had to admit he was, at least, a good officer. He didn't allow his men to see his fear. But the Sith Lord could sense that fear as if it were an obvious stench permeating the entire bridge. It called to him from the Dark Side of the Force. Fear was a Sith's most important tool. The general didn't realize that just yet, but he would show him, soon.

"You didn't bring them close enough," the general insisted, a bead of cold sweat dripping down his barely trembling brow, "I can't activate the tractor beam if there's nothing to catch."

Maul's arm shot out from beneath his black robes and he struck Aderonn hard in the chest with his fist. The man toppled backward, landing on his rear. He gasped in a breath and looked up at him from the floor, eyes wide. The Separatist officers manning the bridge all looked at their leader and the Sith Lord. He could sense their terror. It was so sweet to him, filling his breast with a sick, giddy joy.

"My master will not be pleased you lost him the queen," Maul hissed at him, "but the wrath you should be afraid of is mine. You lost my prize as well, General. It was very valuable to me."

"There was nothing I could do," the general insisted.

Maul leaned down to grab hold of the man's uniform jacket, yanking him off his feet with it.

"If your ship is not close enough, you move closer," he shouted, "I should not have to tell a former officer of the Republic fleet something as basic as that!"

He effortlessly tossed Aderonn against the transparisteel astrogation chart screen. The general hit it hard, giving it a small crack, before falling on his face. One of the officers to Maul's right let out a small whimper. He savored it.

"I wanted those Jedi, General," he growled, looking out at the stars beyond the large viewports in the bridge's sides and ceiling, "two fruits, ripe for the plucking and unable to escape me. I wanted their blood on the floor of this ship. I wanted it more than I can express with words." Maul whipped his arm out and blasted Aderonn with Force energy, slamming him against the astrogation chart a second time. "This is your doing, General," he barked, "and the sooner you admit it, the sooner we can move on."

Aderonn groaned and looked up from where he lay sprawled across the floor. Blood trickled down the side of his face.

"Move on?" he asked weakly.

"My master has ordered me not to kill you," Maul admitted reluctantly, folding his arms, "but if you don't learn who is in command here, you may soon wish I could."

Aderonn put his hand on the screen beside him and started to push himself up. He slowly got to his feet, then stepped away from the chart to face the Sith Lord. He bowed at the waist.

"Yes, my Lord," he whispered meekly.

"Louder," Maul commanded.

Aderonn coughed and brought his hand up to wipe a bead of blood from the corner of his mouth. After recovering, he lowered his hand again.

"Yes, my Lord," the general said clearly.

"Good," Maul said lightly. He turned around and started toward the bridge's exit. "As you were, General."

Darth Maul smiled to himself once he'd left the ship's bridge behind. It'd been a long time since he last put that kind of fear into the heart of another man.

The Sith Lord made his way back to the chamber they'd set aside for him. It was a small, spare room, but it suited his needs all the same with a hard, comfortless bed in one corner and a holoprojector in the center. He stepped onto the holocom platform, got down on one knee, and activated the channel. The life-sized projection of his master appeared in front of him. He bowed his head.

"You have news for me, my apprentice?" the decrepit old man asked slowly.

"Queen Amidala is no longer in the Tatoo system," he said carefully, keeping his head bowed. He knew the wrath of Darth Sidious and how best to avoid it. Only a sign of submission would allow him to explain.

"What happened?" Sidious hissed.

"The general. He failed to activate the tractor beam in time to intercept them."

"That fool," the Dark Lord spat.

"Despite his failure, I've discovered something you will find very interesting, Master," Maul replied. He paused to look up. "I believe there is a third Jedi aboard the ship, one more powerful than either of the two I fought on the planet's surface."

"There are only two Jedi with the queen," Sidious growled.

"I felt a tremor in the Force," Maul continued, "it was strong, impossibly so. If it was not a Jedi, it's something more powerful. Something we should claim."

"Impossible."

"As I would have thought, had I not sensed it myself." Maul paused to draw in a deep breath. "It was exhilarating. Whoever was piloting that ship has a devastating power at their disposal. Master, I must know who it was."

"Perhaps one of the two Jedi the Supreme Chancellor sent is more than he seems," Sidious mused. The wrinkled lips beneath his dark cowl spread in a grin. "How interesting. You were right to tell me of this."

"They will be on their way to Coruscant now," Maul stated. He shook his head. "There must be some way to discover the identity of this Jedi."

"Leave that to me," Sidious commanded. He gestured with one gnarled hand. "Travel back to Naboo, my apprentice. The queen will not be able to abandon her people to suffering for long. Give her reason to return."

Maul bowed his head.

"Yes, Master."

~*~

With the ship on auto pilot as they traveled through hyperspace toward the Republic's capital, the crew was finally able to relax. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan had gotten back into their Jedi robes and took turns doing quick sweeps of the ship to make sure nothing had been tampered with and that all their passengers were alright. It disturbed the Jedi to realize that the Separatists had somehow been able to locate them on the backwater planet they'd only recently escaped. Although the crew had seen much of the ship's inner workings and outer hull while conducting repairs, they'd failed to find any tracking devices.

After multiple rounds of the ship with the same results, Qui-Gon went to find his apprentice, who was meant to be watching over the queen's handmaidens as they prepared a meal for the others in the lounge. When he arrived, he counted seven girls in the lounge, which meant one of them had to be the queen herself. Captain Panaka had yet to let them in on the secret, which didn't bother him; the man had a right to secrets in his line of work. He smiled amusedly when he spotted Obi-Wan chopping vegetables with a knife.

"Obi-Wan, I need to speak with you," he said.

Obi-Wan looked up and nodded.

"Yes, Master," he replied, handing the knife to one of the girls.

He came around the counter built into the lounge's floor and went to meet him near the entrance. Qui-Gon gestured for him to follow as he started down the hallway.

"I've been thorough, but have yet to find anything on this ship that might explain how that creature found us so quickly on Tatooine," he began solemnly.

"So we aren't being tracked. There must be some explanation," Obi-Wan replied.

Qui-Gon nodded.

"I have a theory, but it's grim," he continued, "and you should take it with a grain of salt. Most of the Council would discount it, with the exception of Master Yoda."

"I understand."

Qui-Gon nodded again.

"Good. You should know, I haven't told you everything about the prophecy of the Chosen One. For most of my life, I thought as the Council does, that the second part was untrue, tacked on by some misguided Jedi in the years between now and when it was first spoken. But the years have given me cause to doubt that. And now...after the ferocity of that man's attack…his speed, his strength, the way he foiled even Miss Vostana's skilled flying, and the vision you told me about, I can't pretend all is well." He stopped walking when they reached the engine room, where no one else could hear them. "There are those in the Jedi Order who believe the Force has become unbalanced."

"Unbalanced?" Obi-Wan asked, confused.

"With the prophecy as old as it is, we're not quite sure what that word is meant to mean," Qui-Gon explained, "but I've talked with Master Yoda about it before. He believes it refers to a blindness on the side of the light, that the Dark Side has become stronger since the destruction of the Sith in the last galactic war. It's become harder to detect, and easier to fall victim to. We don't know how something like this could happen, but that man I fought earlier was very strong in the Force. Stronger than I would have expected, especially since neither of us sensed his approach."

"But you told me the Dark Side wasn't stronger than the light," Obi-Wan protested.

Qui-Gon shook his head.

"Not inherently," he explained, "the dark and the light are equal opposites, but it takes more time and focus to master the path we've chosen. The Dark Side presents an easier, more seductive alternative. But while it promises power, it delivers only enslavement, and not just to those its followers victimize. Someone who chooses the Dark Side believes himself to be free of the restrictions we place on ourselves, but in the process, they become enslaved by their own emotions, and servants of the Dark Side, rather than its masters."

"Then what did you mean when you said it'd become stronger?"

"Those strong in the Force can always feel the Dark Side's presence, and that makes it easy to resist." He paused, giving Obi-Wan a grave look. "But when you can't see it, when you don't know it's coming, you don't realize it's taking you until you're already lost. The Dark Side has taken a new guise upon itself, one we can't identify. Every Jedi Master knows it can never be completely extinguished, and yet there are so many who believe we live in a time after its passing. It's why we must be careful in assuming anyone is a Sith. Until we have proof, we cannot begin to spread fear throughout the Order."

"Why haven't I heard this before?" Obi-Wan asked incredulously, "something like this would be devastating if it's true."

"That's why you haven't heard of it," Qui-Gon replied, "starting a panic among the padawans would do us more harm than good. It would expose the most vulnerable members of our Order to the Dark Side's greatest weapon, fear. I've only told you because I believe you to be ready to handle it…and I trust you not to spread it beyond this room until we know more."

"Of course, Master." Obi-Wan bowed his head sincerely.

Qui-Gon smiled. His once impulsive and impatient apprentice had truly grown into a mature, wise young man. He felt more like a friend to him than a child he was tasked with watching over.

"I know it's a heavy burden to carry, but there is hope. You know the Chosen One is destined to destroy the Sith. By doing so, this Jedi is meant to restore balance to the Force. When the last of the Sith falls, the Force will begin to right itself. Master Yoda believes both the light and the dark will grow in power, to their strengths in the ancient times of the Old Republic."

"That's amazing," Obi-Wan whispered.

"Yes," Qui-Gon agreed, "and also frightening. With that much power in the galaxy, need for the Jedi to keep the servants of the Dark Side in check will also grow. It will put a huge responsibility on the Order's shoulders. There are some masters who believe we're better off how we are now, but Master Yoda and I both believe that the Force cannot remain 'sick'. Things must be returned to the way they're meant to be."

"And that's why you want Anakin to be trained so badly," Obi-Wan surmised.

Qui-Gon nodded.

"If he is the Chosen One, this legendary Jedi of prophecy, the galaxy needs him to be ready for the fight ahead. The Force _wants_ to cure itself. It's the only explanation I can think of for how impossibly strong it is in Anakin. If he's not the Chosen One, I will be very surprised."

"So you think that man we fought was indeed a Sith."

"I think it's very likely."

Obi-Wan nodded and looked toward the hallway.

"I hope you're right about the boy, Master."

"So do I." Qui-Gon reached out to put his hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder. His apprentice turned his head back around to look at him. "I want you to be the one to train him," he said, "if the Council allows it after you've passed your trials, of course."

Obi-Wan's eyebrows shot up.

"Me?" he asked.

Qui-Gon nodded.

"He reminds me of you, in some ways," he explained, "and he will be difficult to train, being so old and so headstrong. Because of that, any Jedi who does not share his stubbornness will be incapable of training him properly."

"You're more stubborn than I am, Master," Obi-Wan replied with a slight smile.

"Well," Qui-Gon began with a chuckle, "that just isn't true. Besides, I'm not as young as I once was. He will need a teacher with the youth to accommodate his energetic nature. But, more importantly than any of that, I believe the Force has brought you two together."

"In what way? You're the one who found him on Tatooine."

"True, it was I who found him, but when it needed to warn someone of the coming threat, the Force chose you. And at the same time it revealed the Chosen One's presence to me? I may be wrong, but I can only see it as the will of the Force that you prepare him for his destiny."

Obi-Wan grimaced.

"Are you sure I'm ready for that sort of responsibility? I haven't even attempted my trials yet."

"You're one of the strongest Jedi I know, even if the Order still sees you as an apprentice," Qui-Gon assured him, "if you're not ready now, you will become ready."

He watched Obi-Wan take a breath to calm himself, as he'd taught him to do.

"I will need time to consider it, Master," he said quietly.

"Of course."

~*~

Anakin sat in a kneeling position on the floor of the droid storage bay. He didn't know how long they'd been traveling through hyperspace, but he was certain it had to be a few days. Although he wasn't going to tell anyone, he had already started to miss his mother. He didn't know how he was going to go weeks, months, and years without seeing her.

He'd found a small R2-series droid stowed away in the room hours earlier. It'd received a huge hole from a blaster recently, but he was sure he could at least get it online again. After locating a tool chest, he'd started repairing it as he used to do back home on Tatooine. It was soothing to have his mind occupied by something other than the family he'd left behind.

Anakin leaned down to look as he reached his hand through the gaping hole in the R2 unit's outer paneling. The chassis was still intact, which was a good sign, but several of the inner circuits had been fried. He plucked a wire from its slot near the back of the droid's cavity and pulled it out to get a look at its connector. As he'd suspected, the wire had been exposed after its rubber coating had melted off. He kept his fingers on the plastic connector as he used a set of pliers to straighten out some of the metal bits that'd warped in the heat of the blaster shot. Satisfied, he reached back in and plugged it into its socket.

He yanked his hand out after receiving a quick shock to his fingertips. He groaned and licked them. Despite the lingering sting, he smiled when he heard some of the internal mechanisms whir to life.

The R2 unit's dome began to swivel rapidly. It beeped frantically. Anakin reached out to put his hand on top of the dome.

"Hold on, hold on," he said. The dome continued to roll back and forth. "Just hold still, alright?"

The droid finally calmed down enough to allow him to wipe the char off its optical sensor with his tunic.

"There, can you see now?" he asked.

The droid chattered at him appreciatively. Anakin grinned.

"It's nice to meet you too," he replied, "you can call me Anakin."

The R2 unit's dome swung around to face the doorway before it let out a low "woo". Anakin twisted around to look. Padmé stood in the doorway. She waved when he smiled at her.

"You fixed the droid?" she said, stepping further into the bay.

"His name is 'R2-D2', but he says he likes to be called 'Artoo' for short," Anakin informed her.

"You can understand it?" Padmé asked interestedly. "Oh, I mean 'him," she corrected herself.

Anakin shrugged.

"I always have," he said.

The girl walked across the bay and over to the droid.

"Artoo, hm?" she murmured, "I didn't know droids had preferences about what they're called."

"R2-series droids tend to develop pretty strong personalities," Anakin explained, smiling, "some people think it's a flaw in their programming, but I like it."

Artoo expressed his agreement with a few happy chirps.

"Well, can you tell him we're all very grateful to him for helping us escape Naboo?" Padmé asked.

The droid bleeped at her in a tone that sounded as sarcastic as a series of beeps could sound. Anakin laughed.

"He can understand Basic just fine," he said.

"Oh, you're right. I should've known that," she giggled. She clasped her hands in front of her body and shrugged. "I'm sorry, we don't see many astromech droids where I come from."

Anakin grinned and turned back to face the droid, peering inside the hole. Artoo whirred at him curiously.

"What happened on Naboo?" he asked, his voice amplified by the droid's shell.

"I'm sorry?"

"You said he helped you escape. Is someone after you?"

He pulled his head back out to look up at her. She smiled amusedly and knelt down to wipe his cheek with her thumb, then showed him the blob of grease she'd removed. They both laughed quietly. After the laughter died down, Padmé sighed.

"Well, I suppose if you're going to become a Jedi, I can tell you the truth," she admitted.

"So that stuff you told Beru about Ryloth wasn't true?" Anakin asked.

She shook her head and Anakin watched her face fall. It hurt his chest to see her so sad.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," he added quickly, "I mean, if it makes you that sad, you don't."

Padmé looked up to smile at him, but her sorrowful eyes made the expression seem less genuine.

"You're such a kind person, Anakin," she said, "the truth is, my planet, Naboo, was invaded recently. We managed to get the queen offworld, but her people—my family and everyone I've ever loved are still there, being oppressed. Being hurt."

Anakin shook his head.

"That's a really good reason to be sad," he said. He realized how unhelpful it was and cleared his throat. "I mean, a better reason than mine." He grimaced at himself in frustration. "What I mean is…well, now you have Jedi helping you. They'll free your people, I'm sure."

Padmé looked up again and laughed quietly, to his surprise.

"Yes, I'm sure they will," she replied. She leaned closer to him and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

Anakin could feel the blood rush to his face and hoped his blushing wasn't obvious.

"For…what?" he asked sheepishly.

"For cheering me up," Padmé replied, "you have this funny way of saying things sometimes, like you know everything is going to be alright. People don't talk like that in the palace. I like it."

Anakin's mind swirled helplessly as he tried to think of something to say to that. He'd already told her she was pretty, but here she was, giving him a kiss like that. He'd thought she was too refined for him, that she'd think he was just some kid from the desert and never spare a second thought toward him. He never expected her to give him such a sweet kiss. Words were failing to come to him as he thought about how nice her soft lips felt on his cheek. They were ridiculously soft, something he didn't know was possible after living on such a dry, wind-chapped planet. To his relief, Artoo interrupted with a series of unsure boops.

"I know you can't move," he replied after clearing his throat, "the system that operates your tracks is completely fried. You're going to have to wait until we get to Coruscant."

"I'm so sorry, Artoo," Padmé murmured.

Artoo beeped at her.

"He says it wasn't your fault," Anakin translated for her.

"Yes, I know…he was just so brave, trying to defend the ship like that."

Anakin had to chuckle at the droid's reply.

"What?" the girl asked.

"He said he knows."

Padmé chuckled too.

"You're cocky for a droid, aren't you?"

There was a knock on the doorway behind them and they both turned to see Captain Panaka looking down at them.

"Your highness, we're approaching the Corusca Sector now," he said, "Senator Palpatine is waiting to greet you upon our landing. Perhaps you should change out of those clothes."

Padmé nodded at him.

"Yes, you're right, Captain," she said, "thank you."

She rose and started toward the exit as Panaka backed up to allow her to walk ahead of him.

"Your highness?" Anakin asked in disbelief.

Padmé looked back at him when she reached the doorway.

"It's a long story," she said with a kind smile before heading out into the hall.

Anakin let himself fall backward until he sat on the floor of the bay and sighed.

"She's amazing, huh, Artoo?" he asked.

The droid let out a flat 'blurp'. Anakin grinned.

"Yeah, I guess a droid wouldn't know."

~*~

Obi-Wan sat in the co-pilot's chair as Ruta flew the ship toward the landing platform the flight control officer had assigned them. Still in the upper atmosphere, they could see Galactic City sprawling out before them in all directions. The entire planet of Coruscant was covered in towering skyscrapers and pre-programmed travel routes were constantly busy with heavy airspeeder traffic. From their height, it looked like the most orderly beehive in the galaxy.

Obi-Wan smiled when he spotted the silhouette of the Jedi Temple on the horizon. He would never grow tired of traveling the galaxy, but no feeling could beat the feeling of coming home after a long, hard adventure.

He glanced back when he heard someone running through the hallway toward them. Anakin rushed into the room and braced himself on his and Ruta's chairs, his eyes wide as he took in the city.

"Aren't you supposed to be strapped in somewhere?" Ruta asked.

"I'll be fine," Anakin chirped without taking his eyes off the towering spires to look at her.

"I don't know about that, Shorty," the pilot continued, "I mean, you obviously don't have your space legs yet. Wouldn't want you to fall and get blood on the console."

Obi-Wan ignored her as he raised one arm to point off into the distance.

"Do you see that building?" he asked, "the one with the five tall, thin towers."

Anakin nodded.

"That's home," Obi-Wan concluded.

Anakin grinned.

"So, that's the Jedi Temple?" he asked.

"That's right."

Ruta shrugged.

"Doesn't look that impressive to me," she muttered.

"We're not trying to impress anyone," Obi-Wan retorted.

Ruta snorted a chuckle.

"Sure you're not."

The ship's speed increased and they rushed downward, toward an enormous building with a large, rounded top that almost made it look like a gigantic mushroom.

"Woah," Anakin breathed.

"That one's the Senate Building," Obi-Wan told him, "it's where the senators meet."

"What's a senator?"

Ruta laughed loudly.

"Oh, man, do you have a lot to learn," she wheezed between laughs.

"You don't need to worry about it now, Anakin," Obi-Wan told him, shooting Ruta an unappreciative glare, "all you need to know is they're the people who decide how the Republic is run."

Anakin grimaced.

"Are they bad people?"

Obi-Wan smiled.

"No, no, they're just people like you or me," he said.

"Don't lie to the boy," Ruta teased.

"It's not a lie. Senators, like all people, can behave well, or they can behave poorly. I don't agree with everything the Senate does, but that doesn't make each senator a 'bad person'."

"Alright, alright, it was just a joke."

"The nature of our place in the Republic means Jedi must deal with politicians every now and then. I don't want you confusing him with silly jabs like that."

Ruta held one hand up.

"Ok, no more jokes about politics. I promise," she announced in a mock serious tone.

The ship passed the Senate Building before arriving at a tall apartment building close by. Ruta started the ship toward one of many landing platforms that jutted out from the building's sides.

"Here we are," Obi-Wan said. He got out of his seat. "Go find Qui-Gon," he told Anakin, "you'll want to stay close to him for now. It's easy to get lost on this planet."

Anakin nodded and hurried out of the cockpit. Ruta groaned.

"You know, I just don't get it," she muttered.

Obi-Wan turned to face her.

"Don't get what?" he asked.

Ruta held up a finger as she carefully landed the ship on the platform. Once it'd set down, she unbuckled her seat's restraints and plopped both feet on the console, folding her arms as she did. She sighed.

"I mean how some silly thirteen-year-old kid from a dirtball planet—a kid who knows literally nothing about anything, by the way, got to be a better pilot than me! I've been flying starships as long as I can remember and he still manages to outdo me the first time he sets foot in a cockpit. Have I just been wasting my time or something?"

Obi-Wan shrugged.

"Well, it's hardly a fair comparison," he replied.

"What do you mean?" Ruta asked.

"Anakin doesn't realize it, but he's attuned to the Force and is already capable of using it to his advantage," the Jedi explained, "in a few years, he'll be well on his way to becoming a Jedi. The Jedi are aided by the Force and it allows them to be capable of things most other people never thought possible."

Ruta leaned forward, pulling one foot off the console.

"Wait…you're right! That's completely unfair," she exclaimed, "he only did so well because of the Force!"

"He does seem to have some natural skill," Obi-Wan pointed out, "after all; he flies much better than I can."

Ruta shook her head.

"But the Force? There's no way I can compete with that."

Obi-Wan shrugged and clasped his hands behind his back.

"Then why are you being so hard on yourself?" he asked lightly.

Ruta stared at him, slowly unfolding her arms. She placed her other foot back down on the floor and leaned toward him to stare harder, cocking one eyebrow at him.

"What was that?" she asked, "did you just use some freaky Jedi mind thing on me?"

Obi-Wan laughed.

"Only if the 'freaky Jedi mind thing' you're thinking of is called 'friendly encouragement'," he replied. He turned to his left and started toward the door. "You're a wonderful pilot, Ruta," he said over his shoulder, "we honestly couldn't have gotten this far without your help."

"You're welcome," Ruta called after him.

Obi-Wan chuckled quietly to himself.

~*~

Qui-Gon allowed the queen and her entourage to head down the loading ramp ahead of him. She and her handmaidens had removed their drab garments in favor of the grand outfits in which they'd escaped their homeworld. Anakin and Obi-Wan stood near him, bowing their heads as the queen passed. Once the last of the handmaidens had made it onto the landing platform, he proceeded down to meet them with Anakin and his apprentice close behind.

A small group of people in grand robes was already on the platform to greet them. Qui-Gon recognized the foremost, an older man with wispy, balding white hair and intricately-decorated gray and maroon robes, to be Senator Sheev Palpatine of Naboo. He and Obi-Wan had met him shortly before departing on their rescue mission. He didn't know the man well, but he'd seemed like a kind man and showed nothing but concern for his queen. He didn't appreciate the aloof, uninterested attitude many politicians used when dealing with members of the Order. Senator Palpatine, however, was not one of those politicians and Qui-Gon found himself liking the man, though he tried to avoid making judgments on other people too quickly.

The senator advanced to meet the queen on the bridge connecting the landing pad to the apartment building behind him. He bowed low, then straightened again with a joyous smile on his face.

"I'm so glad to see you safe and sound, my queen," he said warmly.

"Thank you, Senator Palpatine," the queen replied, bowing her head in a sign of respect.

"You must be exhausted," Palpatine continued. He turned to one of his well-dressed servants, a young Bith male. "Dimo, please escort her highness to the apartments we prepared for her."

Queen Amidala straightened her back.

"I would prefer to speak with the Chancellor about the fate of our planet," she said, "the Senate must be assembled."

"I agree completely," Palpatine replied, "and I promise an emergency session will be called. However, it will take time before the session is ready to commence. Until then, I wish you would rest yourself." He held both hands out at his sides. "You would better serve our people if you had all your strength, after all."

Captain Panaka stepped forward so that he was just behind her left shoulder.

"If I may, your highness, I must agree with the senator," he said quietly, "you must be careful not to risk your health, especially after surviving all the danger we've encountered getting here."

"You have a wise guard captain, my queen," Palpatine commented, smiling.

The queen nodded slowly.

"Very well," she relented. Dimo bowed and began heading back toward the apartments. The queen started after him.

The senator faced her as she walked away. Once she and her entourage had headed inside, he turned to face Qui-Gon.

"Master Jedi, I cannot begin to express my gratitude to you for delivering our queen safely."

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan bowed their heads slowly. Anakin clumsily copied them.

"No thanks is necessary, Senator," Qui-Gon replied, "my apprentice and I are happy to do our duty to the Republic."

Palpatine nodded, a wide grin on his wrinkled face.

"The Republic is blessed to have your Order as our protectors," he said happily. He turned his head to look at Anakin. "I'm afraid I haven't met this one," he continued.

"This is Anakin," Qui-Gon explained, "he's been helpful during our mission."

"Has he? How wonderful, especially for someone so young."

Anakin grinned.

"I'll do a lot more than that when I'm a Jedi," he stated proudly.

Qui-Gon chuckled, as did the senator.

"I wish you luck, young man," Palpatine said, "I'm sure you'll be a fine Jedi."

Qui-Gon clasped his hands behind his back and cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry to leave you so soon, Senator, but I have urgent business with the Jedi Council," he said, "if you want more information about our mission, I can meet with you later today."

"Oh, I'm sure Queen Amidala will be happy to fill me in. Besides, you must have many more important things to worry about."

"In that case, we'll take our leave." Qui-Gon released his clasped hands and offered one to the senator.

"Thank you again, Master Qui-Gon." Palpatine took his hand to shake it. "I'm not sure what we would've done had she been harmed."

After bidding the senator goodbye, Qui-Gon led Obi-Wan and Anakin to an airspeeder he'd asked to have waiting for them when they arrived. They hopped inside and took off toward the Jedi Temple. Anakin watched in awe as they passed colorful, glowing billboards and lines of stylish speeders. At the speed they were traveling, it didn't take long for them to reach one of the Temple's landing pads.

After stepping through the door into the Temple's main hall, Qui-Gon was welcomed by the comforting sight of those familiar statues of past Jedi Grandmasters and the two long staircases on either side that led to the tall double doors of the Council chambers. The undeniable concentration of the Force surrounding the large hall was the most comforting. The presence of so many Jedi over the years had filled it with a warmth he had yet to feel anywhere else in the galaxy.

The Jedi Master proceeded up one of the staircases to the second floor and to the Council chamber's door. He turned to face Anakin and Obi-Wan.

"Anakin, Obi-Wan and I must speak with the Council briefly," he said, "wait here and soon it will be your chance to meet them."

Anakin nodded and watched them enter the chamber. It was a round chamber, with windows all around its circumference, save the section of wall with the door built into it, allowing the Masters within to watch over the people they served. Twelve chairs sat at even intervals in a semi-circular pattern. Upon the chairs sat four of the twelve members of the Jedi High Council, with Master Yoda, head of the Council and Grandmaster of the Order, in the center chair upon a raised cushion to accommodate his height. He was a short, old alien with green skin, pointed ears, and a few strands of white hair over his wrinkly head. Despite his unimpressive appearance, he was the most admired of any living Jedi and carried over eight centuries of wisdom.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan bowed upon reaching the center of the room.

"Welcome, Master Jinn," Master Yoda said in his crackly, high-pitched voice. He looked at Obi-Wan. "And Padawan Kenobi." He looked back at Qui-Gon. "Urgent, your message was. What is this important business you have?"

"Will the rest of the Council be present?" Qui-Gon asked.

"They were unable to make it under such short notice," Master Mace Windu, a bald, dark-skinned man with a deep voice and a severe gaze, explained. He was known as the Order's greatest warrior and his skill with a lightsaber was unmatched, save by the grandmaster himself.

"Very well, Master," Qui-Gon replied. He folded his hands. "I'm sure the Council is aware of our latest mission to Naboo," he began.

"We are."

"My padawan and I believe the Sith are returning to the galaxy," Qui-Gon continued, jumping right to the point. The members of the Council reacted with surprise, some of them even going so far as to utter a gasp. Qui-Gon hadn't expected anything less. They were all well aware of the danger. "And, we have reason to believe they are allied with the Separatists."

Master Yoda leaned forward.

"Proof, have you, of this claim?" he asked.

"We were attacked on Tatooine by a man wielding a lightsaber. His connection to the Force was undeniable. Later, he contacted us via comm. channel and claimed to be an enemy of the Jedi."

"The Jedi have many enemies," Master Ki-Adi-Mundi, a Cerean male with a bushy gray goatee and mustache, replied as he raised one eyebrow skeptically. He shook his head gently. "But those enemies are not necessarily Sith."

Master Windu leaned forward, propped one elbow up on his knee, and looked over at the Cerean.

"That may be the case, but we can't be so confident that we ignore the warning signs," he stated. Qui-Gon raised both eyebrows, surprised by his unusual open-mindedness. Master Windu turned his gaze back on Qui-Gon. "You said this man was skilled with a lightsaber?"

"Yes, Master," he replied, "it was a lightsaber like I'd never seen, with a crimson blade. He wielded it as well as any Jedi Knight."

"Red is an incredibly rare color for a natural crystal," Master Windu stated. "More likely, the crystal would have been crafted synthetically. We all know the Sith were known to do that, to control the outcome. It's not an easy technique to learn and it's not one we teach our padawans. He wouldn't have been able to do it without knowledge passed down from the ancient Sith." He shook his head definitively. "If this man crafted his own lightsaber, I doubt he was just some Force-sensitive dissident."

"The Sith have been extinct for a thousand years," Master Ki-Adi-Mundi insisted.

"Masters, we have another reason to believe the Sith have begun to rise again," Qui-Gon spoke up. He gestured to Obi-Wan. "My padawan has received a vision from the Force, one I find deeply troubling."

Master Windu turned his severe, critical gaze on Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon looked as well and saw the young man was handling the pressure well.

"Describe your vision to the Council," Master Windu told him.

Obi-Wan respectfully bowed his head before proceeding, "I had a vision of a man in a red desert, dressed in black robes. An inky blackness emanated from him, and as I experienced this vision, I could feel the Dark Side trying to penetrate my mind. The fear it carried defied all of my Jedi training. When I was finished with my meditation, there was no doubt in my mind that the man I saw was Sith."

"It sounds to me like you jumped to a conclusion without sufficient evidence to warrant it," Master Ki-Adi-Mundi commented.

"The Force told me what it needed to tell me," Obi-Wan replied. Qui-Gon was pleased to see he kept his anger in check, despite how dismissive the master had been toward him. Obi-Wan clasped his hands in front of himself and shook his head. "I can't describe what I felt with words, but to me, it was undeniable."

"The Force doesn't send a Jedi visions for no reason," Master Windu asserted, "if this vision truly meant to warn us of a coming Sith threat, we can't afford to ignore it."

"My thought exactly," Qui-Gon agreed.

"With the Sith destroyed, how would they have passed on their dark arts?" the Cerean continued.

"Perhaps one survived," Master Windu argued, "perhaps they've existed in hiding these past centuries."

"How would they have done that? We've always been able to detect the presence of the Dark Side."

"An imbalance in the Force, as stated in the prophecies" Qui-Gon interrupted, "it would explain all of this."

Master Windu cleared his throat and looked at Obi-Wan.

"Perhaps your padawan should step outside," he said.

"I've told him of the prophecy," Qui-Gon replied fearlessly, "and I trust him to treat it with discretion. He's become a very capable Jedi."

Master Windu sighed.

"No one doubts your wisdom, Master Jinn, but an old, debunked prophecy?"

There was the skepticism Qui-Gon had expected from him.

"Debunked merely because the Sith were wiped out," the Jedi retorted.

"Correct, Master Jinn is," Master Yoda stated, "if returned, the Sith have, still in play, the prophecy is."

Qui-Gon nodded at the grandmaster.

"And as you all recall, the prophecy states that one Jedi is destined to destroy the Sith and, in so doing, correct the imbalance," he continued.

"The Chosen One," Master Plo Koon, a Kel Dor, said through his breath mask. He'd been silent up until then, carefully watching the proceedings through his goggles.

"Yes. I believe I've found him." Qui-Gon saw his apprentice shift his weight out of the corner of his eye. He knew he was taking a risk, presenting such an idea, but the Council would have expected nothing less from him.

"Is that not a little convenient?" Master Ki-Adi-Mundi asked.

"The Force wants to right itself," Qui-Gon replied confidently, "this would not be the first time it's presented us with the solution to a problem just as it reveals that problem to us. Sometimes, we have to wait. Other times, we don't."

"Who is this potential Chosen One?" Master Koon asked.

"A boy I found while on Tatooine, where we were confronted by the Sith," Qui-Gon replied, "I could sense immense power in him. I think he should be initiated into the Order as soon as possible so he can be prepared to face his destiny."

"That's a loose theory," Master Windu remarked.

"Master, if I may," Obi-Wan interjected, "I was unsure about it as well, but I witnessed the strength of the Force in him myself while he piloted our ship. Without him, the Sith would've had us."

"Speak with him alone, we must, to decide his fate," Master Yoda replied.

Qui-Gon bowed his head.

"I will send him in," he said.

He turned to Obi-Wan and nodded, signaling for him to follow as he headed back into the hall outside the Council chamber. Anakin was sitting on the floor against the wall beside the door, watching the many Jedi who passed by him. He stood up when they came out.

"Is everything ok?" he asked nervously.

Qui-Gon gave him a reassuring pat on the head.

"Everything's fine," he replied. He gestured toward the chamber with his head. "The Council wishes to meet you."

"They're the ones who're going to decide if I can become a Jedi?" the boy asked.

"That's right. You'll need to speak to them without us, but don't be nervous. Simply answer any questions they have. Be honest and I'm sure they'll see why youdeserve to be trained."

Anakin grinned.

"I'm not nervous," he chirped.

Qui-Gon smiled, though he wasn't sure the boy was being truthful.

"Go on," he said. He watched Anakin proceed through the door into the Council chamber.

"I'm not sure they'll allow it, Master," Obi-Wan whispered.

"I'll find a way to convince them," Qui-Gon assured him.

Obi-Wan stared at him incredulously.

"If the Jedi Council were that easily persuaded, they wouldn't be the Jedi Council."

"They'll see reason eventually," Qui-Gon stated confidently. He shook his head. "If not, I'll train him myself."

Obi-Wan shook his head slowly. Qui-Gon smiled.

"You'll see, Obi-Wan," he said, patting him gently on the shoulder.

~*~

Queen Padmé Amidala returned to her apartment in a huff and sat on the lounge chair in her luxurious suite. She'd managed to keep her anger from showing in front of the Senate, but in private she no longer needed to follow the rules of political decorum. She sighed and looked toward the small holocom on the coffee table in the center of the room, surrounded by two curved sofas. She got out of the chair and sat in the center seat of the closest sofa. She leaned forward to press the button that would activate the holocom's latest recording.

The holographic image of a man wearing a Nabooian guard uniform swirled into view before her. He saluted dutifully, despite the tense, stressed look on his face.

"Captain," he began, obviously greeting Captain Panaka, the original receiver of the message, "I have grim news to report. The Separatists have located the Resistance's base of operations in the tunnels. We lost ten of our own, including Jennus and Freia, during the escape and…I'm afraid that isn't the worse of it. After the Separatists' commander returned to Naboo, he executed fifteen of our nobles. He claims the suffering will stop when Queen Amidala returns and surrenders herself to his custody." The paused and lowered his head. After a few seconds, he shook it and looked up again. "Captain, you must prevent her highness from finding out about this. The men and I agree; we're willing to carry this burden for her." The guard cleared his throat and clasped his hands behind his back. "I will continue to send reports through this secure channel as long as I can," he said, "Private Hoffin out."

The image disappeared and Padmé was left staring at the blank surface of the table that'd been behind it.

"Your highness."

Padmé looked back toward the door to see Panaka standing there. He cleared his throat.

"How long have you known?" he asked.

Padmé looked at the coffee table again.

"Since the day after we escaped Tatooine," she replied. She shrugged. "I noticed a message on the ship's holocom recorder. I know I shouldn't have opened it." She looked back at him. "I'm sorry, Captain."

Panaka shook his head, but his normally straight expression started to melt, even displaying a hint of tenderness.

"I apologize for hiding it from you," he said, "but you must know why."

"I won't surrender myself to the Separatists," Padmé replied. She clasped her hands on her lap. "But I can't let my people suffer without me for much longer."

There was a knock at the door and Panaka turned around to open it. Padmé could see the senator waiting on the other side. The captain looked back at her and she nodded. He stepped aside, allowing Palpatine to enter.

"Your highness," he said with a bow, "you wished me to speak with you?"

"Captain, please leave us," Padmé told Panaka, "we have things to discuss."

"Yes, your highness."

Once the guard captain had stepped outside to keep watch, she stood up and faced Senator Palpatine. She invited him to take a seat across the coffee table from herself.

"May we speak plainly, Senator?" she asked once he'd sat down.

Palpatine seemed surprised, but smiled anyway.

"Yes, of course," he replied.

"If the Senate refuses to protect the people of the Republic, how can it fulfill its function?" she demanded.

Palpatine took a second to recover from the bluntness of her question.

"I'm…not sure, my queen," he said slowly, "many people don't see a problem until they are directly affected by it." He cleared his throat. "This is about the proceedings, I presume."

"The Senate shouldn't need to debate this any further," Padmé continued angrily, "and yet, my testimony wasn't enough to persuade them? How can the invasion of a peaceful planet not be seen as an obvious problem?"

Palpatine nodded slowly.

"I'm sure there are those among the Senate, including myself, who would readily support military action against these Separatists," he stated. He folded his arms. "But they lack the leadership they need to move forward. They fear the effect such a bold move might have on their careers. Were I able to act alone, I would, but I will need the support of the other senators, and of the Chancellor."

"What do you mean? Surely, Supreme Chancellor Valorum supports us."

"Chancellor Valorum took a considerable risk sending those two Jedi to rescue you," Palpatine continued, "naturally, I am forever grateful for it, but it nearly didn't happen. Even now, he is afraid to go any further, should his reputation be smeared by it."

Padmé sighed incredulously.

"What good is a reputation compared to the lives of our people?" she asked.

"I cannot agree more, your majesty. I've tried speaking to him privately about this myself, but he is not a particularly brave man. I don't question his character, but the position of Chancellor requires a politician with, shall we say, 'a stronger spine'?"

Padmé narrowed her eyes at him.

"You talk like you have a solution in mind, Senator."

"I do," Palpatine replied, smiling, "you see, there are many senators who would be able to lead the council more effectively, senators who wouldn't shrink from what needs to be done. Unfortunately, we cannot wait for the next election to take action against those rebels subjugating our people."

"Then what can be done?" Padmé asked impatiently.

The senator leaned closer to her, as if to tell her something discreetly.

"It is possible for another politician to call for a vote of no confidence in the Chancellor," he began, "it would provide the opportunity for others to agree. If we can achieve the right number of votes in the Senate, the council will be forced to hold an emergency election."

"That sounds like a poor way to treat someone who has just recently ordered my rescue," the queen stated.

Palpatine nodded, frowning.

"It is. Unfortunately, we don't have the time to wait for a more polite resolution."

Padmé folded her arms and let out a long sigh, shaking her head.

"The Naboo suffer by the minute," she said slowly. She sighed again. "If you think it can be done, you have my support."

Palpatine put his hands together and began to wring them slowly.

"If it were something I could do myself, I would have spoken earlier today in the rotunda. But, you see, your highness, I am on the list of candidates for the next election. Were I to make this move myself, the rest of the Senate would only see it as a power grab. It would prevent me from gaining the votes I need to force an election."

Padmé nodded, aware of the game he was playing. She didn't like what he was trying to do, but she knew he was right about their time constraints. She gave him a brief, unappreciative look.

"You want me to do it for you, then," she surmised.

Palpatine smiled kindly and stopped wringing his hands.

"I know how this must seem to you, but it's not for my own sake. It's for Naboo. I don't care if I'm the one elected, or if someone more worthy is chosen. All I want is to lift this treacherous invasion of my homeplanet, and to stop the same from happening to any other planet within the Republic's bounds. We need someone who can defend us."

Padmé swallowed the lump that'd formed in her throat and nodded.

"I must be given a short while to think about this, Senator. You can expect my response within the hour."

Palpatine rose from his seat on the sofa and bowed at the waist.

"You may have all the time you like, your highness," he said, "tomorrow, the Senate will meet again to further discuss what is to be done. I believe you should be present during the proceedings."

"I will be."

"Then I shall take my leave of you."

The senator bowed again before heading outside. Padmé stared at the deactivated holocom on the coffee table's surface. She imagined she could still see the guard reporting her people's plight to Captain Panaka. She owed Chancellor Valorum gratitude for sending Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan to rescue her. She didn't want to repay him by forcefully removing him from his position, but she knew Senator Palpatine was right; they didn't have the time to wait for the next election. She sighed and leaned against the backrest of her sofa. She was tired, but resting would have to wait until after her planet had been freed from the Separatist occupation.

~*~

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan made their way toward the Supreme Chancellor's apartments. Master Yoda had been intrigued by the strength of the Force in Anakin, but had stated that he would require the presence of the other members of the Council to make a decision about his fate. Their business with the Jedi High Council complete for the moment, Qui-Gon knew he needed to report to Chancellor Valorum and tell him the details of their successful mission. He and Obi-Wan rode the turbolift from the landing pad to the fifth floor above it and proceeded down the hallway, passing many doors and the guards posted outside them. They arrived at Chancellor Valorum's door and the guard turned to knock on the door and announce their arrival.

"Let them in," the chancellor responded through the intercom.

The guard made way for the Jedi to enter the grand parlor on the other side. It was a large room with mahogany-colored walls and dark blue window frames. The walls were decorated with patterned tapestries, as well as portraits of the chancellor's family. On either side of the door were white tapestries with the Republic's emblem in blue at the very center. Near the middle of the room was a coffee table with five lounge chairs surrounding it and two end tables between four of the chairs. Against the wall next to the largest of the windows was a set of shelves displaying accolades the chancellor had earned during his long political career.

Chancellor Finis Valorum stood near the wall next to a long waist-height table with several flasks of various beverages on its surface. He held a glass in his hand. The chancellor was a human man with thin white hair and gray-blue eyes. He wore a black frock underneath a patterned blue and brown robe. By the expression on his face, Qui-Gon could see something had happened.

"Hello again, Master Qui-Gon," he greeted him. He'd managed to avoid sounding distraught, but his face still showed it. He looked at Obi-Wan. "And you must be Obi-Wan Kenobi." He cleared his throat and took a swig from his glass. "Would either of you like a drink?" he asked.

"Are you well, Chancellor?" Qui-Gon inquired, concerned.

"Physically, yes," Valorum replied, starting toward one of the lounge chairs near the middle of the room. He sat down. "Unfortunately, I'm not the chancellor anymore," he concluded.

"What happened?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I think Queen Amidala would be the one with that answer," the former chancellor replied, taking another drink. He shook his head. "Today in the rotunda, she called for a vote of no confidence in my leadership," he continued, "and I suppose her testimony about the state of Naboo was just moving enough to get many of the senators on her side." He sighed. "I don't understand what I did to offend her. I was prepared to do all I could to help her retake her planet. I guess all I could do wasn't enough." He shrugged. "There'll be an emergency vote to decide my replacement."

"I'm very sorry to hear that, Chancellor," Qui-Gon commented.

"It'll be alright," Valorum stated, "I'm sure there's plenty of room in politics for a former Supreme Chancellor." He leaned forward to place his glass on the coffee table before him and stood up. He rounded the table to stand before the two Jedi. "I have one last request of you, Master Qui-Gon," he said, "as my last act in office, as far as the Jedi are concerned."

"I'll do what I can, Chancellor."

Valorum nodded.

"I know it would make sense for me to be angry at Queen Amidala, but I don't think she made her decision lightly, nor do I think she made it on her own." The former chancellor folded his arms. "All I ask is that you check on her, to make sure she isn't falling victim to the complicated political landscape of Coruscant. She's very young, after all, and I'm afraid she might be under prepared, not to mention the desperation she must be feeling."

Qui-Gon bowed his head.

"I'll see how she's faring," he promised.

"Thank you, Master Jedi." Valorum sighed. "I'm sure there's nothing to be worried about, but you can never be too careful with politicians. As one, I can tell you that as a fact."

Qui-Gon smiled amusedly.

"I'm sure she knows to be cautious," he replied.

"Yes, she's very intelligent," Valorum agreed, "but that doesn't change the fact that she's too young to have experienced how dangerous even the Republic's capital can be."

"Would you like me to pass that on to her?"

The former chancellor shook his head.

"No, no," he replied, starting back toward the table where he'd left his glass, "checking on her will be enough, I'm sure." He picked the glass up to take another drink. "Now, as I'm not the chancellor anymore, you no longer owe me a report. I'm sure you have more important things to focus on."

Qui-Gon bowed his head.

"We'll leave you in peace, Chancellor."

"Thank you…and good work getting her here safely. Your Order continues to impress." Although his words had been kind, Qui-Gon could detect the bitterness in his voice. Nonetheless, he could appreciate the man's concern for the young queen.

Qui-Gon led Obi-Wan back out into the hallway and toward the lift. Obi-Wan cleared his throat.

"Master, what does all this mean? For the Order, I mean."

"It means the Council will be dealing with someone else soon," Qui-Gon replied, "for us, I'm sure it won't mean much of a difference."

"What if the Senate chooses the wrong person to lead the Republic?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Will you be the judge of that?"

Obi-Wan chuckled quietly.

"No, it wouldn't be my place," he replied.

Qui-Gon nodded.

"That's right. Instead of worrying about the things you can't change, focus on those you can." He smiled slightly. "But if it truly bothers you, perhaps you should consider becoming a senator instead of a Jedi Knight."

Obi-Wan chuckled again, nodding.

"No, I'm not brave enough for politics, Master."

~*~

Padmé sat across from Senator Palpatine in her suite, her hands folded in her lap as she tried to hide how unsure she was about the decision she'd made. She'd convinced herself there was no other way, but she was much more familiar with the politics of Naboo and wasn't entirely sure that was correct. Still, she knew the senator cared for his homeplanet just as much as she did. They were both doing the best they could.

"You've done very well, your highness," the senator assured her in a calm voice. He smiled. "Soon, the Republic shall have a strong leader and we can deal with the Separatist threat."

"How soon is 'soon', Senator?" the queen asked.

"In a few short weeks, the emergency election will be held and the new leader of the Republic decided," Palpatine replied proudly.

Padmé's heart sank.

"It will take that long?" she asked.

"I'm sorry if that displeases you, my queen, but it was the fastest way."

"I know you suggested the best you could think of, but our people need a solution now," Padmé insisted. She shook her head. "At the risk of sounding conceited, they're suffering in my absence. I must return to them soon."

Palpatine leaned forward.

"But, your highness," he exclaimed, "they've only just gotten you to safety! Returning now would put your life at risk."

"There must be someone else we can look to," Padmé suggested, "after all, we don't need the entire Republic fleet. The Resistance is already opposing the occupation. What they need is support. Resources, and perhaps a little more manpower. Are there…trustworthy mercenaries in Galactic City?"

Palpatine shook his head.

"I'm not sure any mercenary is completely trustworthy," he replied. He cleared his throat. "But, perhaps, there's another way. What of your Jedi friend, Master Qui-Gon? He might be willing to assist you."

"Do we have the authority to appeal to the Jedi Council without the Senate's input?" Padmé asked.

Palpatine shook his head.

"Not officially, no, but a Jedi is always free to consult his own Order, is he not? If you were to ask him for a favor, I'm sure he would find a way to help Naboo. He does seem fond of you, after all."

Padmé sighed dejectedly.

"He's already risked his life so many times for us," she murmured.

"As is the way of the Jedi," Palpatine stated, "they are servants of the Republic."

"Your highness."

Padmé leaned forward to press the intercom button on the coffee table's holocom device.

"Yes, Captain?" she asked.

"Master Jinn and Padawan Kenobi are here to speak with you," the guard outside the apartment door replied.

Palpatine grinned.

"Perhaps they've anticipated us," he said.

The two Jedi entered the suite and bowed in unison. She saw neither of them wore their brown cloaks, allowing their robes to show. They certainly had no need to hide them on the Republic's capital world.

"I should be going," Palpatine stated, standing up, "still many things to do." He turned to Padmé. "Your highness, I will continue to search for other ways to get the support you need," he assured her, "if there is one, you can trust me to find it."

The queen nodded at him.

"Thank you, Senator Palpatine."

The senator started to leave. As he passed, Qui-Gon bowed his head.

"Good evening, Senator," he said.

"And to you, Master Qui-Gon," Palpatine replied, pausing to smile politely at him before he stepped out into the hall.

Once he was gone, Qui-Gon turned his gaze on Padmé. She could see he was concerned, but couldn't tell exactly why. There were, after all, many things to be concerned about in her predicament.

"Pardon my intrusion, your highness, but are you not getting the support you need from the Senate?" he asked.

Padmé sighed.

"You and Obi-Wan saved my life, Master Qui-Gon," she replied, "you don't need to be so concerned about pretense when we're alone." She looked up at him and smiled. "Truthfully, I could use a little friendliness about now."

"Very well," Qui-Gon said, giving her a warm smile in return. He and Obi-Wan moved further into the room, having visibly relaxed. "Actually, friendliness is the reason I'm here," he continued, "I heard about the Chancellor."

Padmé's heart sank.

"I know it wasn't the kindest thing I could do, but the Republic needed someone who wasn't afraid to protect it," she said. She cleared her throat. "I truly wish there'd been another way. I owe Chancellor Valorum my life for sending you."

Qui-Gon advanced to sit on the sofa across from her.

"I didn't come here to accuse you of anything," he murmured, his voice kind and calming, "I came to make sure everything is alright…to make sure _you_ are alright."

Padmé sighed and nodded slowly. She shifted her weight and looked up again.

"Truthfully, I'm not alright," she whispered. She cleared her throat and spoke up, "I haven't told anyone, not even the senator, but things are worse than we thought. After the Separatist general returned to my planet, he began executing people. He claimed the executions would stop if I surrendered myself to him."

"How do you know this?" Qui-Gon asked, "it was my understanding that the Separatists have stopped all communications from the planet's surface."

"There's a resistance force led by my security volunteers. They secured an encrypted channel," Padmé explained, "they've been sending the captain reports. Actually, I wasn't supposed to hear those reports….and part of me wishes I hadn't been so nosy." She paused to take in a heavy breath and let it out again before continuing, "I told the captain I'm not going to consider giving in to the Separatists' demands, but he's the captain of the royal guard. It's his duty to protect me above anyone else, so he'd never allow himself to think too deeply about the consequences of my remaining here. But I've thought about them. I don't know if I can knowingly sacrifice so many people. In the eyes of the Republic, my life may be more important, but that's not how it is in mine."

"I'm sure that's why your people love you," Obi-Wan commented.

"Yes, but noble as your intentions may be, I fear surrendering may make things worse for Naboo," Qui-Gon replied. He leaned closer. "The Separatists are terrorists," he explained, "when people like them rely on fear and cruelty to get what they want, they put themselves on the same level as a common thug. Your surrender would give them all the power, and once a thug has that much power and no one left to oppose him, he will continue to abuse it however he sees fit."

"Like a Hutt," Obi-Wan concluded.

"Yes, just like a Hutt." Qui-Gon paused, nodding slowly. "I know it's difficult, but your people would continue to suffer under their control. The people who've died so far died in the hopes that their queen would free their planet. You can't let their sacrifices become meaningless by giving up."

Padmé sighed heavily and nodded to herself before looking up at him again.

"You're right," she admitted, "I knew that, but…I don't know, maybe I just needed to hear someone else say it." She shrugged. "But it still doesn't change the fact that my people need help as fast as they can get it. They can't wait for the emergency election to be held and a new Chancellor appointed." She cleared her throat and sat up straighter. "I know a mere planetary ruler like myself has no business asking the Jedi for help, but I don't know who else to turn to."

"Anyone can ask a Jedi for help," Obi-Wan stated, seeming somewhat surprised by what she'd said.

Qui-Gon nodded at that.

"He's right. Only the Chancellor may _command_ a Jedi, but anyone in the universe may ask for his help." He paused to give her a comforting smile. "I will speak to the Council on your behalf. We will find a way to free your people."

~*~

Obi-Wan inched his way through a crowded cantina on one of Coruscant's lower levels. It was dark inside, as were the surrounding streets, which were shielded from sunlight by the towering buildings around them. He could hear people conversing in almost every language in the known galaxy. Humans and aliens from all over the Republic were gathered inside. Some were watching various sporting matches on screens built into the leftmost wall, others were playing card games, and all of them were drinking heavily. A few didn't notice him, having been too consumed in their chosen activities and drinks, but the many who did stared a little longer than he would have liked. He tried to ignore them.

He let out a sigh of relief when he finally spotted Ruta in one of the corner booths toward the back. He'd started to wonder if she would show up.

"Well, well, a Jedi waltzing through an undercity dive," she said once he was within earshot, "you don't see that every day."

"Is that why you said to meet here?" he replied, sitting down, "and why you chose to sit in the very back of the room? It'll please you to know I got plenty of curious stares."

Ruta laughed and took a sip of her drink.

"Well, your holiness, what could've inspired you to come down here and mingle with the dregs of Coruscanti society? Judging from your message, it must be pretty important."

Obi-Wan leaned forward to put his arms on the table and interlock his fingers.

"I need a good pilot," he said.

Having been in the middle of taking another drink, Ruta coughed and shook her head furiously as she recovered.

"No," she wheezed before clearing her throat to continue, "no, I did my job, I got paid, and I'm ready to fly off to some corner of the galaxy where I won't get shot at every five minutes." She coughed again. "Hanging out with you Jedi types is a little too exciting for me."

"I know it's frightening, but—"

"Frightening? I almost died! Four times! I draw the line at three." Ruta groaned and took a big swig out of her cup. "Besides, shouldn't you be talking to a pilot whose job it is to risk her life for the Republic? Or don't we have a fleet anymore?"

Obi-Wan took a quick glance toward their questionable surroundings and leaned forward to lower his voice.

"The queen hasn't been able to get the support she needed from the Senate," he replied, "Master Qui-Gon and the Jedi Council are working on a solution, but we don't exactly have an army at our disposal. We're going to need an experienced pilot we can trust. After all you got us through before, I naturally thought of you."

Ruta grinned.

"That's sweet, Obi," she cooed. The pilot nodded and turned her head to look at the other people in the cantina, pursing her lips as she thought. "So, the Chancellor isn't in on it this time," she murmured. She looked back at him. "In that case, who's paying?"

"Queen Amidala is willing to pay a high sum if you help us," he answered.

Ruta nodded again and finished off her drink before setting the cup back down a little louder than she needed to.

"I want half up front," she said, "there's a good chance we won't all make it and if she ends up being one of the casualties, I at least want to make sure I get _some_ of my payment." She winced at herself. "That didn't sound very good. You know what I mean, right? It's just bad business to take a job you're not sure you'll get paid for."

Obi-Wan sighed through his nose.

"I'm not sure if she has access to the royal accounts so far from Naboo. She didn't exactly have time to prepare for a trip." He shrugged. "But I'll talk to her about it. If anything, I can ask her to give you anything she might have with her now."

Ruta sighed loudly and winced again.

"Don't worry about that," she said, knocking the empty cup over with her finger, "I'll do it."

"Why the change of heart?"

"Well…I don't know. Little Queenie's a good kid. And all this has got me thinking about the old homeplanet anyway. It's not every day your birth planet gets invaded and I may like the life of a spacer more, but I don't like the idea of those sons of banthas doing whatever the heck they want with it." She smirked. "Besides, you're so hopeless and desperate it's just tugging every single heart string I have. How can I say no to that sad little face?"

"Ah, there it is," Obi-Wan muttered, "for a moment there, I thought you were going noble."

Ruta smiled.

"I was. For a moment."

Obi-Wan smiled back.

"Well, I'm glad you're on board," he said, standing up as he did, "I'll let my master know we have our pilot."

Ruta quickly leaned forward and reached an arm out at him.

"Wait!" she whispered hoarsely.

Obi-Wan sat back down.

"Is there a problem?" he asked.

The pilot glanced out at the cantina from the corners of her eyes.

"No, just…don't leave yet," she murmured candidly, "you're keeping the akk dogs at bay."

"And what does that mean?" He thought about Ruta's gambling habits, then groaned. "You haven't gotten yourself into trouble, have you? It's only been a few days since we got back."

" _No_ ," Ruta answered indignantly. She leaned back in the booth's bench. "It's just a little misunderstanding with the impound lot. See, they put my ship on auction, before the allotted time, by the way, and I missed it. So, I had to get a little creative."

"You stole it," Obi-Wan assumed.

"You truly have the wrong idea about me," Ruta stated, her eyes narrowed at him. She folded her arms. "No, I didn't steal it. The guy who won was late picking it up from the lot, so I went myself and _paid_ for my ship before taking it…of course, I told the attendant I worked for him, but that doesn't matter, right?" She stuck her nose up haughtily. "It was my ship first and I paid the full price for it with _my credits_. So, it belongs to me. They weren't even supposed to sell it that soon anyway. Legally, I have the high ground."

"I'm guessing the man you cheated out of a ship is in this cantina," the Jedi surmised.

Ruta groaned.

"He's been following me around. I keep getting chased out of places by his hired muscle. So, I figure I just need to show them _my_ muscle and they'll back off."

"By 'my muscle' you mean me, hm?"

"All you have to do is sit there for a little while. No small time thug is going to mess with the friend of a Jedi. They'll go back to their boss and he'll realize he needs to find a different ship."

Obi-Wan crossed one arm over his chest and propped the other up on it to put his hand to his lips as he regarded Ruta through thoroughly unappreciative narrowed eyes.

"Is this the real reason you called me here?" he asked in a mutter.

Ruta shrugged.

"It's kind of hard to ignore a Jedi in a place like this," she replied matter-of-factly, "besides, I like it here. I don't want them running me out again."

"I shouldn't have to tell you I don't appreciate being used," Obi-Wan stated.

"I'm not _using_ you; I'm just killing two flits with one stone. We get to meet and discuss business and I get these bullies off my back. Besides, I'm not asking you to hurt anybody. You being here is already making them think twice."

Obi-Wan crossed his arms and casually looked out across the room. He spotted a group of three staring directly at their booth from the bar. One was an obviously wealthy human man with carefully coiffed graying black hair wearing a fine silk jacket. His appearance would've made him seem an easy target to thieves, were it not for the two heavily-muscled nikto standing on either side of him. The horns on their faces alone gave them a fearsome appearance, but they both stood two heads taller than their employer, which made them all the more intimidating. It was easy to see why Ruta had been running from them.

"In that case, you're buying me a drink," Obi-Wan replied at last.

Ruta sighed.

"Fine, just put it on my tab," she grumbled. "Oh, but don't go too far away. It'll be hard to fly your people back to Naboo if I'm all roughed up."

The Jedi nodded and made his way toward the bar, casually coming to stand next to one of the two nikto thugs, with only a barstool between them. He ordered his drink without looking at them, though he could feel their eyes stabbing at his right shoulder. As he waited for the busy bartender to return, he turned around to face the rest of the cantina, leaning against the counter behind him. He could see Ruta gaping at him, pleading him to come back with her facial expression. He didn't comply. If the brutes were going to make their move, he was giving them plenty of opportunity.

He heard someone clear his throat from to his left and turned his head to look at the wealthy man.

"Master Jedi, do you know what sort of woman that is?" he asked, "she's a thief. She stole my ship from me."

"Oh?"

The bartender returned with his drink and Obi-Wan took it up in his hand.

"In that case, I would alert Coruscant security and open a case with the courts," he replied. He took a sip. "If I were you, that is."

"You're not going to arrest her?" the man asked demandingly.

"I'm not a policeman, nor a judge and jury," Obi-Wan stated. He gestured at the closest of the two enormous nikto. "But by the looks of your friends, it'd seem you plan to take the law into your own hands. If you start an altercation here, I'll be obliged to intervene. I'm sure an upstanding citizen of your stature wouldn't want something like that on his record." He watched the man fidget as he glanced over at Ruta's booth. Obi-Wan took another sip of his drink and shook his head. "Let's not escalate this into something socially damning," he said, tilting his head and putting on the friendliest of his smiles, "instead, why don't you let me buy you a drink? You seem like you could use one."

The man sighed angrily.

"Fine," he growled, "but you can tell your friend I'm having security put a lock on that ship— _my_ ship until this is resolved."

"That sounds fair to me," the Jedi replied nonchalantly.

He ordered another drink from the bartender, a glass of the finest wine the questionable establishment had on hand. Once the bartender came back, he gestured for him to put it on the counter in front of the man.

"Enjoy, my friend," he said, "if you'll excuse me, I must be getting back."

With that, Obi-Wan went back to the booth and sat down. He could see Ruta was still squirming.

"What did you say to him?" she asked quietly.

"I simply gave him a reason to think about what he was doing," Obi-Wan replied, "this is Coruscant, after all. There's no need for brute tactics."

"And he just went with it?"

"After I had you buy him a glass of wine, yes."

" _What_?" Ruta groaned and shook her head. "Fine, fine, I guess… _maybe_ I owed him that much. But I'm still in the right, you know. The real person to blame here is the owner of that blasted impound lot! Really, he wronged both of us."

"I'm sure Coruscant security will sort that out for you," Obi-Wan assured her.

Ruta's shoulders slumped.

"You didn't. But you did, didn't you? You told him to go to…"

"If you're truly in the right, they're the ones to settle this."

Ruta groaned again and buried her face in her hands.

"But you don't need to worry about that now," Obi-Wan told her, "it'll take a few days to process everything. For now, you have a job to focus on." He stood up.

"I thought you had my back," Ruta moaned.

"I did, from a certain point of view," he stated matter-of-factly, "but if that bothers you, you can at least celebrate the fact that those thugs didn't break any of your bones." He raised one eyebrow at her. "Next time you want a Jedi's help, ask nicely."

~*~

Qui-Gon stood in a side room of the Jedi Temple with Queen Amidala, her handmaidens, and eight Jedi volunteers as Captain Panaka showed them a route through Naboo's underground tunnels using the map he'd brought with them on his datapad. The image enhanced by a holographic projection in the center of the room, he watched a red line wind its way through the translucent blue map as the captain traced the route on the datapad with his finger.

The queen had changed into a simple red tunic, cinched at her waist by a thick black leatheris belt that supported several pouches. She wore matching leggings and black boots. Her face was clear of the makeup she normally wore, revealing her true identity as Padmé. However, had Qui-Gon not been told that after reaching Coruscant, he still wouldn't have known; her handmaidens were dressed almost identically, though each of their tunics differed slightly in shade.

The room's occupants looked toward the door when they heard it slide open. Obi-Wan and Ruta stepped inside, closing the door behind them. The pilot grimaced.

"This is it?" she muttered, "you couldn't get more people?"

"The Jedi are spread throughout the galaxy," Qui-Gon explained for her, "and with the limited number of ships at our disposal, this is the best we can do for now."

"We'll rendezvous with the Resistance once we're planetside," Panaka added without taking his eyes off the datapad in his hands.

"Master, a few security volunteers against an army of battle droids doesn't fill me with much confidence," Obi-Wan stated, crossing his arms.

"I know what you mean," Qui-Gon agreed. He gestured toward the guard captain with his chin. "That's why we're working on a plan, rather than rushing in with blasters blazing."

"Besides, the Resistance isn't just my security officers," Panaka grunted indignantly, looking up at them.

Padmé nodded.

"The people of Naboo are too proud to take this invasion lying down," she explained, "there are people all over the planet resisting the Separatists."

"So, what's the plan, then?" Ruta asked with a sigh.

One of the queen's handmaidens, Fé, stepped forward toward the image of the underground maze. She pointed to one of the larger chambers.

"The Resistance's leadership is currently based here," she stated for the newcomers, "we're going to land on the surface in two separate teams, taking two starships to split the Separatists' focus. Captain Panaka is outlining the routes we'll take to meet up in the Resistance's main chamber. Both teams will have a datapad with the map outlined so no one gets lost."

"Even with two ships, we're still going to have a hard time of getting through that planetary blockade," Ruta pointed out.

"That's where the Jedi come in," Fé replied.

She looked to Qui-Gon. He nodded and turned toward the eight other Jedi who'd assembled with them.

"These are Masters Feyron," he gestured to a human woman with short, curly blond hair, "Hobbara," a man with loose, shoulder length black hair, "Azro," a female Rodian with dark green skin and long frills from forehead to neck, "and Shenn," a male Twi'lek with coral-colored skin, his left lekku crossed over the right. "They are some of the Order's most experienced starship pilots," Qui-Gon continued, "They and their padawans are going to fly eight Jedi starfighters as part of a diversion. The plan is to trick the Separatists into thinking the Republic's fleet is on its way. If it works, it will thin part of the blockade out so our two larger ships can slip into the atmosphere."

"Jedi starfighters?" Ruta asked in a mutter, "I didn't know the Temple had its own fighters."

"We do, though they haven't seen much use in the past few centuries," Qui-Gon replied.

"Even with the Force on their side, eight fighters won't last long against those battleships," Obi-Wan warned him.

"Which is why we'll withdraw as soon as the landing parties are clear of the blockade," Master Shenn explained.

"Exactly," Qui-Gon agreed, nodding at the Twi'lek. He looked back at Obi-Wan. "And once we're ready to make our move, Resistance pilots will take off from spaceports all over Naboo to join in the battle. Hopefully, with our Jedi pilots' help, they'll be able to keep more droid transports from being deployed to the surface. Miss Vostana, if you have no objections I think it would be best if you were to accompany those pilots."

"I'll fly whatever you want me to, as long as I get paid," Ruta answered confidently, "and I'm guessing until then I'll be flying one of the landing ships?"

Qui-Gon nodded.

"You'll be piloting the _Dawnstar_. You'll need to make your approach at a high speed and get below scanner range before leveling out to land," he said, "otherwise, the Separatists will be able to predict our landing. Does that sound like something you can do?"

"Easy," Ruta chirped.

Qui-Gon turned his head to look at his apprentice.

"How about you, Obi-Wan?" he asked.

Obi-Wan's posture straightened.

"What?"

"I understand you have some experience with trick maneuvers," Qui-Gon replied, smiling a little, "something about impressing the other padawans?"

"We were children," Obi-Wan pointed out.

"True, but we still need someone to fly the second ship and flying was never my specialty," his master continued, "can you execute a high speed atmospheric entry?"

"I can certainly try," Obi-Wan offered nervously.

"We don't need you to try, we need you to do."

Obi-Wan cleared his throat and nodded apologetically.

"I'll do it, Master."

"Don't worry, Obi," Ruta assured him, "all you have to do is pull up before you crash."

"Easy," Obi-Wan replied in a flat tone.

"You'll be flying the _Autumn Whisper_ , Senator Palpatine's personal yacht," Qui-Gon told him, "he was generous enough to lend it to our cause."

"Yes, Master."

Qui-Gon smiled again and looked to Fé. The girl nodded back.

"I'd recommend that her highness travel aboard the _Autumn Whisper_ ," she continued, "after all, the _Dawnstar_ is the only ship the Separatists will recognize. It'll present a tempting target for them if our diversion doesn't work as well as we want it to."

Padmé looked at Obi-Wan.

"I have no objections," she stated light-heartedly.

"Neither do I," the Jedi added.

"Good," Qui-Gon said, nodding. "Now, the plan when we reach the ground."

"As we speak, Resistance saboteurs are deploying charges in key Separatist outposts throughout the planet," Fé continued, "They won't be able to do much damage once they're triggered, but the explosions should draw the Separatists' attention and keep them from concentrating their forces in any one location, giving our infiltration team an opening. Once the charges blow, groups of Resistance fighters will start engaging the droids in every major city to keep an army from being assembled."

The image being projected in front of them changed from the map of the tunnels to a map of Theed, particularly the area around the palace.

"Our true goal is to capture the Separatist general and get the droid command codes from him," Fé began again, "once we have them, we can shut the droids down. At that point, there will only be a few biological Separatists left. Getting them to surrender should be easy once they realize they have no chance of winning."

"We'll need to emerge from a tunnel entrance the Separatists don't already know of," Captain Panaka stated. He highlighted a section of the main street. "It'll let out here in the palace's central courtyard. We'll need to sneak or fight our way inside, to the control room. According to my contact in the Resistance, the general has made it his headquarters."

"That sounds simple enough," Ruta muttered.

Padmé nodded resolutely.

"Good," she declared, "then let's not waste anymore time. We can discuss any changes on the way to Naboo."

Qui-Gon allowed the others to leave ahead of him before exiting just behind Obi-Wan. They started toward the Temple's small hangar.

"Master Qui-Gon!"

The Jedi stopped and turned around to see Anakin standing beside the door. The boy ran to him.

"You're going to help Padmé, right?" he asked eagerly.

"Were you eaves dropping?" Qui-Gon inquired, giving him a suspicious look.

Anakin shrugged.

"Maybe a little," he said. He smiled. "But I can help. I can fly a ship for you, or carry a blaster, or—"

"Out of the question. A warzone is no place for a child, especially not for one without any sort of training."

"But I can help! You saw what I can do when we left Tatooine."

Qui-Gon sighed and gave him an understanding smile, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I know it's hard to wait for the Council to make a decision, but you want to be here when they do," he said, "you'll be able to start your Jedi training right away. You may even have a new skill to show me when I come back."

"Yeah, but helping Padmé is more important than waiting around in my room," Anakin argued, "aren't Jedi supposed to do that? I mean, I'm not one yet, but I can start now."

"I'm pleased you have that desire, to help other people, but we can't take you with us," Qui-Gon stated firmly, "it's simply too dangerous for you now."

Anakin nodded slowly.

"Alright," he grumbled.

"You can use this time to familiarize yourself with the Temple," Qui-Gon suggested, releasing his shoulder, "it's going to be your home from now on, so you ought to know your way around."

Anakin nodded reluctantly.

"Try to behave yourself while we're gone," the Jedi added with a quick smile.

After the boy nodded his acknowledgment, Qui-Gon turned away to catch up with the others. He hoped Anakin would take his words to heart. He didn't know how open the remaining members of the Council would be to initiating him if he spent his first few days on Coruscant sticking his nose into places it didn't belong.


	8. The Liberation of Naboo

Obi-Wan sat at the helm of the _Autumn Whisper_ , doing a quick diagnostic of its systems. He understood why it had been given such a delicate name. The ship hardly made any sound as it swept effortlessly through hyperspace. He wouldn't have known they were moving if it weren't for the hundreds of stars flying past them through the viewport.

Padmé sat in the seat next to his. He heard her stir, then click the seat's restraints in place. They were approaching the Naboo system and would only have a short time to prepare in the shadow of Ohma-D'un, the largest of the planet's three moons, before its orbit put them in the position to strike. Obi-Wan reached up to click on the headset he wore.

" _Whisper_ to _Dawnstar_ ," he said into the headset's microphone, "diagnostic shows green across the board."

"Copy that," he heard Ruta reply over the comm., "two minutes to arrival. All ships, switch to comm. channel Besh."

"Copy."

Padmé reached across the ship's console to make the channel switch for him. He glanced over at her and nodded confidently, hoping she had more trust in him that he had in himself. He knew he'd be capable of doing whatever was needed to land the ship safely, yet it was hard to keep himself from nervously clenching the yoke. He looked back toward the viewport and let a long breath out through his nostrils, appealing to the Force for strength and guidance. Its response was almost immediate, giving him the peace of mind he needed to relax his tense muscles.

The _Autumn Whisper_ emerged from hyperspace accompanied by the _Dawnstar_ and eight small, angular starfighters. Ohma-D'un was covered in puffy clouds that told of large bodies of water below the atmosphere, supported by the moon's aquatic blue-gray color. From their position so close behind it, they were unable to see Naboo, nor any of the ships that made up the blockade.

"Alright, people, we're ten minutes from being in position," Ruta said over their open channel, "I'll give the signal for the fighters to start their attack. Master Azro will tell us when it's safe to start our landing."

"Roger that, _Dawnstar_ ," the Rodian's high, nasally voice replied in Basic, her accent thick, "everyone into formation."

Obi-Wan watched the fighters get into a loose formation he'd seen used once before by the Republic's own starfighters. All part of the ruse, he thought.

Something clattered from the hallway behind the cockpit. Alarmed, Padmé glanced backward.

"I think something broke loose," she said.

"I'll take a look," Obi-Wan replied, switching the ship's manual controls off before getting out of the pilot's chair.

The Jedi proceeded out of the cockpit and into the short, narrow hall that led straight to the engine bay in the back of the ship. Doorways branched off into the luxurious living quarters of the small yacht on either side of him as he passed. The walls were rich black with a metallic sheen. He thought it a gloomy interior decorating choice, but Senator Palpatine's preferences were hardly his business. The hall was, at least, well-lit by conical sconces emitting a light orange glow.

Obi-Wan entered the engine room and immediately saw what'd caused the noise. A small box of tools sat cap-sized on the floor, its contents spilled all over the flat surface. Having expected to find some sort of engine malfunction, he was understandably relieved. After kneeling down to start picking the tools off the floor, he took a quick look around. The box shouldn't have fallen off the shelf, at least not on its own.

He snapped the toolbox shut again and took hold of the handle on its top before standing to put it back in its place.

"Sorry."

Obi-Wan sighed impatiently and turned to face Anakin.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, "you're supposed to be on Coruscant."

The boy grinned impishly.

"Why do you think I was hiding in here?" he replied.

Obi-Wan had to groan, putting a hand to his brow.

"You're going to be a handful, aren't you?" he grumbled quietly to himself. After letting a short, tense breath out through his nose, he calmed himself and lowered his hand. "This isn't a game," he said, "you should know that. This is a battle. People are going to get hurt and there's no point in making yourself one of them."

"I know it's a battle," Anakin replied, his tone more serious than Obi-Wan had heard it yet, "and I know you don't have a lot of people to fight it. That's why I'm here. I know I can help you." He grinned again. "And I know it's too late to turn around and take me back," he added.

Obi-Wan narrowed his eyes at him, but he knew he was right.

"Then I suppose you're coming with us to Naboo," he admitted. He crossed his arms and tried to give him a stern look, though he'd never been thrown into a scolding position before. He hoped he didn't look too foolish. "But after this, you're going to need to learn to obey the Masters if you want to become a Jedi Knight," he stated, "unless, of course, we're just wasting our time with you. We can always take you back to Tatooine if you cause us too much trouble."

"I won't do it again," Anakin said, "I promise."

Although he doubted the truth of the promise, Obi-Wan pointed toward the doorway with his thumb.

"Well, go on, then," he breathed in a tone of resignation, "you'll want to strap in for this ride."

Anakin nodded obediently, a gesture the Jedi found comical after he'd so disobediently stowed away aboard their ship. The boy rushed down the hallway with Obi-Wan trailing behind him. Padmé twisted in her seat to watch him.

"Anakin?"

The boy hopped into the vacant seat bolted into the back wall of the cockpit and grinned at her.

"I came to help," he chirped victoriously.

" _Stowed away_ to help, you mean," Obi-Wan corrected him, climbing back into the pilot's chair.

"For a good reason," Anakin retorted.

The Jedi turned his head back to give him a quick, narrow-eyed glare.

"Well, I hope it doesn't get you into too much trouble with Master Qui-Gon," Padmé commented. She paused to smile sincerely at him. "But thank you," she added.

Obi-Wan sighed quietly through his nose, then put the headset back on.

"Can I fly?" Anakin asked hopefully.

"No," Obi-Wan stated firmly, "and until we land, I'd appreciate it if you kept quiet."

Not a moment too soon, he heard Ruta give the signal for the fighters to begin their diversion. The formation of small crafts rushed off at full speed. It was a matter of seconds before they disappeared around the curve of Ohma-D'un's horizon. He glanced backward to make sure Anakin had fastened himself in. Satisfied, he directed the ship toward the other side of the moon, hovering slightly above the _Dawnstar_. Minutes passed, accompanied by the excited tactical chatter of the Jedi starfighters. Obi-Wan kept his hand on the throttle, waiting patiently for their signal to make a dash for the surface.

"The mynocks are loose; commence phase two," Master Azro exclaimed over the comm.

" _Whisper_ , switch to channel Cresh," Ruta said immediately.

Padmé leaned forward to press the corresponding button.

"Now, with me!" Ruta exclaimed over the new channel.

Obi-Wan followed the _Dawnstar_ when it shot forward. They emerged from the shadow of the moon. To the ship's right, Obi-Wan saw the chaotic battle in the distance. He wouldn't have been able to locate the Jedi fighters if it weren't for the swarms of vulture droids chasing after them. From that far away, they looked like insects. The tiny red flashes of blaster bolts flew wildly amongst them. Obi-Wan took a brief second to silently send his Jedi brothers and sisters all of his best wishes, for what it was worth.

Ruta's ship was heading straight for a gap between two of the larger battleships, traveling at full speed. Their way was clear of vulture droids, thanks to the diversion, but it wasn't long before the battleship turrets began to fire on them. It was easy to see the enormous blaster bolts, and therefore simple to dodge them, even for a pilot less experienced than Ruta. Obi-Wan was grateful for that.

"On your left, _Whisper_."

Obi-Wan glanced out of the corner of his eye to see a small squad of vulture droids approaching them, having just been released from a ship beyond the nearest cruiser. They weren't within range, but it wouldn't take them long to close the distance. Hopefully, they'd already be past the battleships by the time they caught up.

"I guess they kept a few back," Obi-Wan replied.

"Shouldn't be a problem," Ruta stated confidently, "but they're obviously not as distracted as we hoped." There was a brief pause before she continued, "ok, Obi, I have an idea. Now, the tricky part's coming up. We're going to be most vulnerable to turret fire when we pass between the battleships. Follow my lead and stay on your toes."

"Copy that."

Obi-Wan watched the _Dawnstar_ zip past the increasingly concentrated blaster fire, trying his best to mimic the speed and agility of its dodges. Suddenly, there was a flash from the transport's rear. Metal debris pelted the _Autumn Whisper_ 's viewport. Padmé let out a shocked yelp.

" _Dawnstar_!" Obi-Wan shouted into the headset's microphone.

The other ship hurtled toward the surface of Naboo.

" _Dawnstar_ , do you copy?" the Jedi called.

"Yes!" Ruta shouted back, "pipe down, will you? You're going to blow my eardrum!"

"Are you all alright? What was that explosion?"

"I said follow my lead," Ruta replied.

"What?"

"Alright, listen up. You're going to need to pass by one of the blaster bolts as close as you can. Then, simultaneously space your spare parts and vent the fuel compartment. Your power's going to drop like a rock, but that's the general idea."

"Are you sure you're not crazy?"

"Look, they're watching us too closely. If you want to land without a Separatist welcome party, you need to make it look like a crash. Now do it!"

Obi-Wan watched the _Dawnstar_ enter the atmosphere, its entry violent. If he didn't know it was a ruse, he would've thought they were in real trouble.

"Easy," he whispered to himself. He cleared his throat and gestured to Padmé. "Get it ready," he told her, "I'll tell you when to throw the switch."

The girl rapidly pressed a few buttons, then stopped with her hand hovering over the console.

"I've never vented the fuel compartment before," she said, her tone understandably tense.

"It should be that red one by the gauge," Anakin said from behind them.

"Are you sure?" Padmé asked urgently.

"Pretty sure."

"We're running out of time," Obi-Wan warned them.

"Right. I'm ready," Padmé stated.

Obi-Wan tried to restrain himself from making any sounds that would reveal his anxiety as he rolled the ship ninety degrees to the left. The indicator for their deflector shield flashed briefly. Had they gotten any closer to the blaster bolt, it might've been a direct hit. Such a large blast from a battleship turret would've torn right through their shield. The Jedi's heart thumped uncontrollably in his chest.

"Now!"

Padmé yanked a lever down and slammed her palm down on the red button Anakin had indicated to her. The ship shook shortly and the power levels on the diagnostic screen began to drop dramatically. They hurtled down through the upper atmosphere, flames framing the viewport as they tore through the air's resistance to their intrusion. Obi-Wan knew they could only escape scanner range by flying just a few hundred meters above the planet's surface. He could see the tops of the enormous jungle trees rapidly approaching. Judging they'd gotten close enough, he pulled the yoke back hard while trying to slow their descent. The ship's repulsors fired desperately as they battled both the planet's gravity and their already substantial momentum.

The ship angled upward a little too slowly for Obi-Wan's tastes. They plowed through the jungle's upper canopy at an awkward angle. By the time he managed to level the ship out, they'd carved a clean streak through the top few meters of the jungle's dense coverage. The ship finally slowed down enough to allow him to pull it out of the trees and fly just above them. He let out a long sigh of relief. Low on power, he allowed the ship to coast at a leisurely pace above the treetops. They were below scanner range, so eyewitnesses would be the only thing that could expose their presence to the enemy. Even if they were unlucky enough to pass over a random droid roaming the jungle, the Separatists would never be able to scramble a whole squad to meet them in time.

Obi-Wan kept a wary eye out until he spotted a clearing large enough to set the small yacht down. It'd be a tight fit, but he'd already seen the trees could do very little damage the to the reinforced durasteel hull. If anything, there'd be a few nicks and dings in the outer coating, which was far less wear and tear than he'd initially expected. He imagined Senator Palpatine would be relieved to have his ship returned in such good condition.

The ship touched down gently on the mushy jungle floor. All three occupants of the cockpit released themselves from their seats' restraints. Obi-Wan could've sworn he heard a collective sigh of relief. Despite how nerve-wracking the flight had been, he couldn't help but be pleased with his performance. Perhaps he'd get the hang of flying in combat after all, not that he was looking forward to the next space battle.

"That was insane," Anakin breathed. Obi-Wan thought he detected the slightest hint of joy in his voice. "So, is it always like that when you're a Jedi?"

"Normally? No," Obi-Wan replied. He shrugged. "But times appear to be changing," he added. He neglected to mention what he believed was at the heart of that change. Sith were the Jedi Order's responsibility. There was no sense in worrying either of them with such foreboding news just yet. If they were to encounter their attacker from before, he and his master would deal with him.

Padmé reached back to retrieve the datapad she'd stowed in a pouch on the back of her belt. She switched it on and looked out through the view port.

"Does the ship's computer know where we are down here?" she asked.

Obi-Wan switched the console's display from diagnostics to a somewhat undetailed map of Naboo's surface.

"Roughly," he replied.

Padmé leaned forward to look at the screen, then compared it with the information on the datapad.

"Alright, I think I can lead us to the nearest tunnel entrance," she said.

Obi-Wan climbed out of the pilot's chair and led the others down the hall to the loading ramp. He signaled for them to hang back while he descended alone to make sure their way was clear. Pleased to see that it was, he called them down after him and together they proceeded into the dense foliage of the jungle.

~*~

"General!"

Aderonn turned away from the screen on which he'd been observing the battle in space and faced the closest of his technicians.

"Our battleships report that they shot down the two ships trying to get past the blockade," the technician told him excitedly, "and the Jedi starfighters have retreated. If the Republic fleet is on its way, it'll get no support from them, Sir!"

Aderonn nodded for the sake of his followers, but grimaced after turning away. If the Republic was attempting to lift a blockade, they wouldn't have sent so few ships as the vanguard. Not only that, but he'd had yet to see a single Republic ship. Jedi ships and private transports were hardly part of the fleet's arsenal. Something else must've been going on. Perhaps they planned to send the fleet to the other side of the planet?

He turned his head back to look toward the open doorway when he heard hurried footsteps approaching from the hall. A small, skinny young man appeared in the doorway and saluted him clumsily. He decided not to make a fuss of it; the boy was new and needed time to adjust to how his army did things.

"General, Lord Maul is demanding an update," the boy said, out of breath.

"I'll send a status report to the terminal in his quarters," the general replied.

"He wants you to give it to him in person, Sir."

"Of course he does," Aderonn muttered to himself.

"Sir?"

"It's nothing. Thank you, Private."

The young man nodded and left, his errand completed. Aderonn told his men to continue monitoring the blockade before heading out of the room. His chest still ached where the Sith had struck him, fracturing one of his ribs. His medical droids had done a good job of treating it and numbing the pain, but it wouldn't go away completely for some time. He knew he'd have to avoid angering the man again and even that pained him, by way of his pride. He was a military officer, not a punching bag. Darth Maul was a Sith, yes, but he had no right to arrive unannounced and assume control of his command.

After arriving at Maul's quarters, he raised an arm to knock on the closed door. It opened before he could make contact with it. The room beyond it was dimly-lit, though the palace had a universal lighting system. It had to have been done deliberately. Before stepping inside, he paused to take a deep breath and let it out again.

The Sith Lord stood in front of the terminal in the room's corner, his arms folded. He turned his head to look at Aderonn when he entered.

"My lord," the general began, giving a reluctant bow, "a group of two small ships and eight fighters was recently detected in Naboo space. The ships were shot down and the fighters chased off."

"Give me your assessment, General."

Aderonn's brow furrowed.

"My lord?"

"Your assessment!" the Sith snapped, "if all I wanted was a summary, you wouldn't have needed to come here to give it to me." Maul turned away from the terminal to face him. "Tell me what you think this was."

Aderonn nodded, taking a brief second to appreciate that, for once, one of the Sith was finally realizing his worth.

"I think it was a diversion," he stated, "I'm not sure what the Republic's main ploy will be, but this wasn't it. They wouldn't have sent such a small force to lift a blockade."

The mouth beneath Maul's black hood smiled.

"Very good, General," he hissed, "perhaps you're not entirely useless after all." He gestured toward the terminal behind him. "I've been observing the battle myself. Why do you think Jedi starfighters were present?"

"I'm…not sure, my Lord. The fighters managed to draw many of the vulture droids away from the rest of the blockade. I do suspect, perhaps, that they might be planning to send the fleet to the other side of the planet."

"No."

Maul pressed a button on the terminal's control pad and stepped aside to show him the image of the two ships his cruisers had shot down. Aderonn recognized one of them as the ship that'd escaped him with the queen aboard.

"The queen's ship," he breathed. He could almost feel Darth Sidious's bony hands around his throat. "She…might not have been aboard. Surely, they wouldn't have been so foolish as to send her back so soon after she escaped!"

"Whether she was aboard or not is of little consequence," Maul replied, "the most important thing to note is that those ships were not destroyed. It was a ruse. I have no doubt that those ships landed safely, and that Jedi are now planetside." He grinned. "I sense them even now, though their locations remain a mystery to me. We can expect an attack soon."

"Are you…certain? Those ships were in flames. They breached the atmosphere at uncontrollable speeds."

"Of course I am. Make sure your men don't get too comfortable about this false victory, General. The Jedi will attack. We must be ready when they do."

Aderonn nodded slowly, then cleared his throat.

"If you say so, my Lord," he replied. He bowed at the waist. "I'll tell my men immediately."

"Good."

Aderonn turned to leave. He was nearly to the door when Maul told him to stop. He turned to face him again. The Sith Lord had returned his attention to the terminal's screen, his back to him.

"Tell your men that if they spot the Jedi, they are to monitor their movements, but not to engage them," Maul said.

"My lord, if we send the droidekas, we may be able to—"

"I will deal with them myself, General. Slaying a Jedi is a Sith's privilege, not a droid's." Maul looked back at him and sneered. "If you attempt to take them from me again, I will kill you instead, regardless of my master's orders."

Aderonn bowed his head.

"Understood, my lord."

"Then go."

~*~

The cavern the Nabooian Resistance had turned into their makeshift headquarters was large, but not easy to find in the winding maze of tunnels beneath the planet's surface. Thanks to the map Captain Panaka had drawn for them, Obi-Wan, Padmé, and Anakin made it there without too many wrong turns. It hadn't been the easiest job of navigating, but Obi-Wan could only imagine how much worse it would've been trying to find their way unaided. There was no telling how many curious travelers had wandered inside and gotten lost, only to perish from dehydration.

There were three entrances to the cavern, each one guarded by one of Naboo's former security volunteers. The area was dimly lit by electric lamps that'd been hastily set up around it, as well as the light that emanated from the screens of the few computers the Resistance had managed to smuggle underground before the Separatists' droids had started to crack down on the people's movements. Of the equipment assembled in the cavern, only a few pieces didn't have some sort of blaster damage. Obi-Wan had heard from Padmé that the Resistance's first HQ had been located a week or so earlier, resulting in the deaths of several security officers. He was glad to see how many had survived.

The cavern contained at least a thousand Resistance fighters, and he knew there were other cells throughout the planet. It wasn't a full planetary army, but it was certainly more than they'd brought with them. If everyone performed their duty according to the plan, they would at least have a chance at capturing the Separatists' general.

The guard who'd been watching the entrance they approached from led them toward the center of the chamber where Qui-Gon, Captain Panaka, Ruta, the astromech droid from the _Dawnstar_ , and the queen's handmaidens were waiting for them, accompanied by three men in Nabooian guard uniforms. The guards bowed at their waists as Padmé approached. Qui-Gon, however, was focused solely on Anakin, whose presence had yet to be explained.

"My queen," the foremost of the guards greeted Padmé dutifully, rising from his bow.

The girl bowed her head to them.

"It's good to see so many of you well," she said.

The guard nodded.

"We have those you see here, and we have hideouts in every major city," he said, "in total, we have twenty thousand people spread out across the planet. Captain Panaka has informed us of your plan and we believe we have more than enough operatives to busy the Separatists while you reclaim the palace."

"Very good, lieutenant."

The man cleared his throat to continue, gesturing toward a group of men assembled near the easternmost entrance to the chamber, "these men and myself will accompany you to the palace, my queen. Most of them are the pilots I told you about. Once we retake the hangar, they can join your Jedi friends above the planet. They won't be able to end the blockade on their own, but they'll keep the Separatists from sending more droids to the surface to stop us."

"That's all I ask of them," Padmé replied gratefully. She nodded in Ruta's direction. "And we have one more pilot here. I'm sure everyone will perform admirably." She turned toward Qui-Gon. "Master Qui-Gon, I would like to take a few minutes to speak with the men."

Qui-Gon nodded his acknowledgement and the girl left with the two guards, Ruta, and Captain Panaka. Her handmaidens proceeded to arm themselves with the Resistance's stash of weapons. The droid beeped inquisitively, the optical sensor on his round dome fixed on Anakin, who stood behind Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon approached them with the droid slowly rolling after him.

"It appears you brought something with you," he said, his tone revealing his displeasure.

"I'm sorry, Master Qui-Gon," Anakin spoke up, "it was my fault. I stowed away on his ship."

Obi-Wan had to admit he was surprised. He hadn't expected the boy to own up to it so easily. It relieved him to hear it; perhaps Anakin wouldn't be as much of a handful as he'd feared.

"I figured as much," Qui-Gon replied, folding his arms and looking down at him with the severe gaze his padawan had learned not to bring out of him.

The boy lowered his head, obviously responding to the look. Obi-Wan didn't envy him.

"I'm sorry," he repeated.

Qui-Gon gestured toward the astromech droid.

"Wait by R2-D2," he told Anakin sternly, "I need to speak with Obi-Wan."

The boy nodded and Qui-Gon took his apprentice aside.

"He didn't reveal himself until we were already in the system and I thought it'd be unwise to leave him alone on the ship, especially with all the battle droids out there," Obi-Wan told him, shrugging slightly.

"You thought right," Qui-Gon agreed. He sighed quietly, shook his head, and unfolded his arms. "And this cavern will be empty when we make our move," he continued, "it appears we must take him along."

"I'll look after him, Master," Obi-Wan stated.

"Are you sure you can handle the distraction?"

"If I'm to become his teacher, I may as well get accustomed to it."

Qui-Gon smiled.

"So, you've been thinking about what I said before?" he asked.

"I have," Obi-Wan replied, "I don't know if it's truly the Force's will that I train him, but I trust your judgment. If you think I can do it, then I do too." He cleared his throat. "I mean, if the Council allows it once I've passed my trials."

"If they agree to initiate Anakin, I see no reason they wouldn't allow it," Qui-Gon replied. He grinned and nodded at him. "Watching this all come together fills me with hope. If the Sith have come back to challenge the Order, they'll have a hard time of it."

Obi-Wan wished he could be as hopeful, but the future had suddenly become so uncertain. He tried to let his master's confidence boost his own. If it was his destiny to train the Chosen One, he would do whatever was needed to fulfill it. That was the best he could do, he told himself.

Qui-Gon gestured toward the queen with his head.

"Anyway, we should get ready to leave soon," he said, "the longer we delay, the more time the Separatists have to hunt down Master Azro and her team."

Obi-Wan nodded his agreement and his master gestured for R2-D2 and Anakin to follow him as they went to reunite with the rest of their infiltration team. Captain Panaka stood on a rock to get a look at the team in its entirety. Aside from the queen and her handmaidens, there were fifteen pilots, including Ruta, who were all armed with light blaster pistols, and seven men armed with rifles. It was a modest team, but any larger group of fighters would attract too much attention from the Separatists. The remaining Resistance operatives had assembled into several other teams to start fights throughout the other parts of Theed.

"Attention!" the captain announced loudly. Once he had it, he continued, "we'll start out toward the east and travel underneath the palace through Theed's main reactor before heading to the surface. I'll give the signal for the other teams to begin their attacks, then we'll give the distraction time to work before we head inside. Once we've secured the palace hangar, all of you pilots will take off and support the Jedi in engaging the Trade Federation's droid ships. You'll recognize them as _Lucrehulk_ -class battleships. The rest of us will continue to the control room and capture General Aderonn. We will then use the Separatists' command codes to deactivate the droid army. Any questions?"

The assembled troops looked around at each other, but no one spoke up.

"Alright, then let's get moving."

Captain Panaka stepped down from the rock and led the group out of the cavern and back into the tunnel maze.

~*~

It'd been a half an hour after Captain Panaka gave the signal to the other teams to make their moves before the infiltration team made it out of the caves and into the palace's courtyard. Anakin followed Obi-Wan closely, beside Artoo, as he'd been told, as they took up the rear of the group. He would have liked to be in a better position to see the fighting, but he'd already done enough to test Master Qui-Gon's patience for one day. Still, he was grateful to him for giving him a future he wouldn't have thought possible. His one misgiving was how quick he was to underestimate him. The Jedi hadn't even allowed him to carry a blaster like the others.

The Resistance fighters carrying blaster rifles made quick work of the few droids that stood guard in the courtyard. Anakin guessed their plan had worked to draw the bulk of the force away from them. It was exhilarating to see it all unfold the way it was meant to. Blaster or not, he knew he'd be in for one of the most exciting experiences of his life to date.

They encountered another group of droids just before the palace's entrance. He watched in awe as Master Qui-Gon sliced them down with the glowing blade of his lightsaber. He didn't have long to look at the sizzling scrap left behind before they rushed further inside, in the direction of the hangar. Their progress through the palace was fast-paced and thorough as they eliminated every enemy they encountered, leaving no witnesses behind to report their presence. Soon, the open archway that led to the hangar was within sight. Inside, there were many droids guarding the palace's starfighters. The ships themselves were smooth and painted a bright yellow, aside from the chrome rings near the two engines that were situated on either side of their cockpits.

Obi-Wan gestured for Anakin and Artoo to stay back as he switched on his lightsaber and joined the others in the fight. Anakin ducked behind a crate near the hangar's entrance with Artoo close behind him and peeked over its top to watch the action. Obi-Wan and Master Qui-Gon were quick and agile as they dispatched droid after droid with their lightsabers, the blades swinging with a sort of grace Anakin wouldn't have expected to see in a fight. It was a spectacular thing to behold.

His attention was yanked away from watching the Jedi when one of the girls he'd seen with Padmé on the ship was struck in the shoulder with a blaster bolt. She tumbled backward and landed a meter or so from Anakin's spot behind the crate, dropping her pistol. The weapon slid across the slick tile floor, stopping a short distance from him. The girl gasped and looked back to see the droid that'd hit her preparing to fire at her again. Anakin leapt out from behind the crate and snatched up the blaster pistol. He pointed it at the droid's center and fired.

The shot missed its mark, but not as horribly as it could have. It struck the droid's leg, blasting the slender artificial appendage away. The one-legged droid toppled over and clattered to the ground. Anakin fired again and blasted off its head. Aiming wasn't as easy as he'd thought it would be. The girl grunted in pain as she got up off her wounded shoulder and stood up. Anakin handed the blaster back to her.

"Thank you," she said breathlessly.

He nodded and the girl went back to the fighting, holding the pistol in her other hand. After taking a quick look around for danger, Anakin ran forward and grabbed the carbine the droid had dropped. He quickly crept underneath one of the starfighters for cover and waited for one of the droids to get closer. When one of them did, he shot its foot out from under it and allowed it to fall to the floor before finishing it off with a bolt to its chest.

It wasn't long before each of the droids had been dealt with, the clean stone floor littered with scrap metal. The pilots in their group remained in the hangar to start up the fighters while the rest of the group continued into the hall. Anakin kept his blaster low so as not to attract Master Qui-Gon's attention. He might not have been good with the weapon, but it was a comfort to know he could fire back if he ever found himself in the crosshairs.

The significantly smaller group continued its progress down several incredibly long halls lined with enormous windows. Anakin found himself glancing out of them more than once. The view was incredible.

When they encountered more droid patrols, they managed to deal with them like they had the others, but it slowed them down much more than it had before. He hoped they wouldn't encounter any groups as large as the one guarding the hangar. It'd been a struggle to clear them, even with the additional fifteen guns they no longer had. Anakin tried his best to help the others, but he was reluctant to shoot any droids that were too close to one of his allies. He wasn't absolutely sure he'd hit what he was aiming at, after all.

Finally, they'd made it to one of the palace's smaller turbolifts. Master Qui-Gon advanced to activate the call button on the panel beside its large, closed door. They didn't need to wait long before the door slid open and Anakin's heart jumped into his throat.

A Zabrak man with deep crimson skin, several beige horns, and sharp black tattoos across his entire face stood on the lift's platform. He was dressed entirely in loose black clothing, his hands hidden in black leatheris gloves. In his hand he held a peculiar-looking rod. The zabrak grinned cruelly, revealing his sharp teeth, and pressed a button on the rod's side. A red energy blade erupted from the rod's end and Anakin realized he'd met the man before.

Master Qui-Gon stepped in front of Padmé and her escorts, placing himself between the zabrak and them.

"Obi-Wan, get them away from here, now," he ordered.

"Everybody, get back!" Obi-Wan exclaimed, gesturing for them to follow him.

The group rushed away from the turbolift, leaving Master Qui-Gon alone with the dark Jedi. Anakin glanced back briefly to see them advancing toward each other. He fought his desire to watch and looked ahead, careful to stay close behind Obi-Wan as they ran. He heard the two lightsabers clashing loudly behind him.

"We'll need to find another lift," Obi-Wan announced.

"This way," Captain Panaka stated, taking the lead.

They rushed around the corner after traversing the length of the hallway only to be met with a squad of droids, led by three human Separatists.

"Surrender the queen!" the foremost of the humans ordered.

Obi-Wan threw his arm in their direction and the entire squad was knocked backward by an invisible wave. With the closest attackers on their backs, they had a clear view of the hall beyond them. More droids were already running toward them.

"It's a trap!" Captain Panaka exclaimed.

The Nabooian force raised their weapons to begin their desperate defense, but before any of them could shoot, the fire suppression systems in the hallway switched on. Anakin glanced to his right to see Artoo plugged into a computer interface socket on the wall. The fine chemical mist coated the slick surface of the hallway's floor and the droids' metal feet slid out from underneath them as soon as they attempted to cross it. Artoo bleeped proudly.

Padmé and her escorts carefully stepped around the fallen droids, firing whenever one of them attempted to stop them. However, few of them tried with their joints being clogged and frozen by the chilly chemical concoction of fire suppressors they wallowed in. Artoo waited for the mist to settle before following them, falling behind. Anakin stopped when the droid began to chatter at him. He glanced at the others, who'd begun to engage another droid patrol several meters down the hallway. He went back for Artoo.

"What do you mean they're in danger?" he asked, "what did the computer say?"

Artoo replied with a series of beeps and woos.

"I'm sure the pilots can get the blast door open," the boy answered, "I mean, this is their home. They must know how the system works."

Artoo's dome swiveled frantically as he responded.

"An energy shield!? They'll be trapped!"

Artoo bleeped his agreement.

"There has to be something we can do," Anakin muttered as he thought about their options.

He yelped when a stray blaster shot landed too close for comfort. He backed up against the wall, into an alcove beneath one of the many wall sconces that lined the hall. The droid followed him.

"Wait," Anakin continued, gesturing in the direction of the interface socket, "can you deactivate the hangar's energy shield from here?"

Artoo responded negatively.

"So, where is the nearest security terminal?" Anakin asked.

Artoo's dome swiveled back and forth as he booped unsurely.

"Right, well it's not perfect, but it's a place to start," Anakin replied.

He held the blaster carbine close to his chest as he peeked out from the alcove. The fighting had stopped and the others had moved on. It didn't worry him. At least this way he didn't need to convince anyone he knew how to help.

"Alright, Artoo," he said, "let's find that terminal."

~*~

Qui-Gon grunted when the zabrak's boot struck him in the chest, sending him backward into the open turbolift. The suspected Sith leapt in after him and punched the control panel, closing the lift's door. He could feel them starting to travel downward.

"You're not escaping from me this time, Jedi," the zabrak declared. The twisted grin he gave him told of his lust for blood.

"What are you?" Qui-Gon asked, holding his lightsaber up defensively.

"I am Darth Maul of the revived Sith," the zabrak introduced himself proudly, "soon, your Order and the Republic it serves will be replaced by something more deserving."

"And I suppose as one who claims to be a Sith, you plan to be at its heart," Qui-Gon assumed.

"At least you know your history," Maul replied.

Qui-Gon nodded.

"I know the Sith are destroyed," he stated, "and that following the path of the Dark Side will only lead you to share their fate."

"The Sith _were_ destroyed," Maul corrected him.

The Sith advanced, bringing his lightsaber down on him. Qui-Gon blocked the attack, but Maul wouldn't let up. The energies of their sabers clashed against one another, filling the turbolift with the noise of a sharp, continuous crackle. The turbolift door slid open behind Maul and Qui-Gon forced the Sith back with a powerful heave. He struck his hand out, knocking him back with a blast of Force energy. Maul tumbled backward and out of the lift. Qui-Gon joined him and the lift closed behind him. The Sith got off his back and onto his feet with an acrobatic leap, readying his lightsaber for another strike.

Qui-Gon recognized the room they occupied as the enormous reactor that powered the entire city of Theed. Only minutes earlier, he and the others had snuck into the palace through the tunnel entrances at its base. He and the Sith stood on a concrete bridge that led to scaffolding that circled the entire cavern.

Darth Maul leapt toward Qui-Gon, spinning as he swung his lightsaber's blade toward the Jedi's head. Qui-Gon ducked and rolled forward on his shoulder, putting himself on the other side of him, where he was no longer caught between the closed door and his assailant. The Sith pivoted and lunged at him. He blocked the attack, but was forced backward by the other man's strength. He retreated another step before sliding back into his defensive stance, just in time to deflect another blow meant for his torso.

Blocking swipe after jab after lunge, Qui-Gon found himself being driven further across the bridge toward the spiral scaffold. Maul's onslaught was continuous and merciless, giving him barely enough time to breathe between attacks. The Dark Side was driving him, plain as day. Its oppressive presence battered against Qui-Gon's mental defenses just as ferociously as Darth Maul's lightsaber battered against his own. Qui-Gon knew he was strong enough to resist the Dark's Side's temptation, that he wouldn't be driven to anger or hatred to defeat his opponent. He maintained his calm, feeling the Light Side of the Force guide his blade as he defended himself.

And yet, he knew he couldn't remain on the defensive forever. It was clear to him that Maul had no intention of turning from his dark ways. That meant he had no choice but to kill the creature, or at least incapacitate him so he could be captured. To do it, he knew he'd need to break the Sith's unrelenting assault.

Qui-Gon patiently timed each of the Sith's attacks, waiting for an opportunity to strike back. He ducked under a wide swipe, allowing him to kick Maul's left leg out from under him. The zabrak toppled over and landed on his side with a grunt. Qui-Gon brought his blade down to stab him in the shoulder, but the Sith blocked it with a quick swipe upward. Maul rolled to his back and roared, releasing a blast of energy that cracked the industrial-grade windows on either side of them and threw Qui-Gon back-first onto the catwalk behind him.

Qui-Gon didn't wait to catch his breath before rolling over and back onto his feet. He held his lightsaber up as he backed away slowly, trying to regain his composure. That blast was released with a strength he'd never witnessed before. The power of the Dark Side was truly great. But that was all it was: power in its rawest form. The Sith lacked the finesse of a trained Jedi swordmaster; he allowed his blows to fly uncontrolled, fueled by fury. Qui-Gon was not the most talented of duelers in the Jedi Order, but he knew he could defeat him, if he was very careful. All he needed was one good hit.

Maul was back on his feet by the time Qui-Gon had caught his breath. The Jedi could see a small crack in the guise of confidence he wore. The Sith hadn't expected him to be such a challenge. Like all servants of the Dark Side, he'd underestimated the capabilities of those who followed the Light. Still, Qui-Gon wouldn't let the small victory go to his head.

The Sith swiped his lightsaber to the side, severing one of the metal lines that kept the catwalk suspended. The platform tilted suddenly, throwing Qui-Gon off balance and into the railing behind him. Maul leapt down toward him, but he rolled to the side against the railing and the Sith halted his momentum by grabbing hold of it. Qui-Gon jumped and flipped backward, landing on the adjacent segment of the catwalk, which was still intact. Maul glared up at him before stabilizing himself upon the uneven surface on which he stood.

"Stop this now, Sith," Qui-Gon warned him, "I have no desire to end your life."

"That's unfortunate for you," Maul replied, "I have every desire to end yours." He struck upward, slicing off the corner of the catwalk Qui-Gon was standing on.

The railing connected to the wires suspending it bent with the sudden and unexpected weight, unsupported by the platform. Qui-Gon lurched forward and toppled over it, but he managed to catch the catwalk's edge before the hundred-meter drop. He dangled over it, held in place by only one hand. He switched his lightsaber off and hooked it back onto his belt to grab the ledge with the other. Then, he saw Maul climb up onto the catwalk above him, ready to slice him down.

Qui-Gon grunted as he swung himself forward and released the ledge. He fell several meters before landing hard on the scaffold below him. He sighed and looked up to see Maul proceeding down the catwalk, taking the longer way down the spiral. It'd be some time before he was within range again. It was time Qui-Gon was grateful to have. He took his lightsaber off his belt again and closed his eyes, reaching out to the Force in a quick battle meditation. Feeling renewed, he was ready for what was coming.

~*~

Obi-Wan escorted Padmé and her followers as they tailed Captain Panaka in the direction of the nearest lift. He stopped suddenly, prompting the others to do the same.

"What is it?" the captain asked in a hoarse whisper.

Obi-Wan looked back to see the six handmaidens and seven Resistance fighters.

"Where's Anakin?" he asked.

Padmé looked around as well.

"He didn't get hit, did he?"

"No, I would have…" Obi-Wan paused to think, "…I would have sensed it. He's not in danger, but he could be soon. We should go back to find him."

"We can't," Panaka argued, "we're almost to the lift. The longer we spend running around the palace, the more droids we're going to encounter. We already have three injuries. I don't want it to escalate to casualties."

Obi-Wan didn't want to admit it, but he was right. If the Force was with Anakin, he would be alright. Still, it was his responsibility to watch over him and he allowed him to get lost. He shook his head slowly.

"Yes, of course you're right," he said, "let's get moving."

Panaka continued leading them through the immense halls of the palace until they made it to a hallway identical to the one in which they'd reencountered the Sith. On the far side was the turbolift's door, guarded by three shielded droidekas.

"Take cover!" Obi-Wan shouted.

The members of the group dashed into the sconce alcoves nearest to them. One of the Resistance fighters was struck in the leg before he could make it to cover. The next flurry of shots hit him, killing him instantly. The shallow divots the others hid in provided little protection from the droidekas' blaster fire, but they had few other options. Obi-Wan looked across the hall to the large windows facing them. He could hear the droidekas slowly advancing toward them.

"Master Jedi," Padmé called from the alcove adjacent to his, "I have an idea, if you can break through one of those windows."

Obi-Wan flung both arms out, blasting the nearest of the windows with the power of the Force. Cracks appeared all across its length, but it didn't give way. He blasted it again, sending shards of thick glass toppling down the cliff below the palace.

"Everybody, to the ledge," the queen declared, rushing forward. She reached the window despite the droidekas' fire and put her back to the empty frame. She gestured at Obi-Wan with her chin. "You'll need that blaster," she said, indicating the fallen Resistance fighter with her finger.

The others ran across the hallway's width one at a time, each one filing out onto the window sill. Obi-Wan dashed across, scooping up the blaster as he ran. He stopped in front of Padmé, then the two joined the others on the ledge. Padmé reached over to point out a button on Obi-Wan's blaster.

"Press that and follow my lead," she said.

She pointed her blaster upward and fired, sending a small, sharp capsule attached to a thin wire into the windowsill above them. The capsule snapped open, revealing several prongs which embedded themselves into the stone. The grapple secure, Padmé began to ascend to the floor above them. Obi-Wan watched the others do the same while the droidekas began blasting out the windows beside them with a heavy volley of bolts. Once the last of them had made it up, Obi-Wan copied them.

Dangling from the upper windowsill, Obi-Wan pressed his boots against the top of the lower window frame and pushed until he could grasp the ledge with his hand. The others climbed up onto it, but he stayed braced against its side as he ignited his lightsaber and sliced through the window above him. The queen and her fighters went through, arriving safely in the second-floor hallway. Obi-Wan climbed up to meet them.

The hall was like the one below it, with a door to the turbolift in the same spot. This one, however, was clear of droidekas.

"We'll need to get into the lift before those droids do," Fé told the others, running toward the turbolift.

They followed her and she pressed the call button. Obi-Wan let out a quiet sigh of relief when the door opened and revealed the platform was empty. The group gathered on the platform and Panaka pressed the button that would take them upward.

~*~

Anakin ran down a narrow hallway in the inner parts of the palace, his stolen blaster swinging at his side as Artoo rolled after him. The many rooms and halls created a sort of maze. He didn't know where he was headed, but Artoo had said he _thought_ there would be a security terminal in the room at the end. He reached the closed door at the end of the hall and opened it with its control panel. He was met immediately by a humanoid protocol droid with gold-colored plating, stashed away in a small closet.

"Oh, good heavens!" it exclaimed in surprise. When it looked down at him, it twitched. "Oh hello, there young sir; I hope I didn't frighten you. Allow me to introduce myself. I am C-3PO, human- cyborg relations. How might I be of service?"

Anakin pointed his blaster at the droid.

"Are you with the Separatists?" he demanded.

"Goodness, no!" C-3PO replied, holding both arms as far up as his restricted joints would allow. "They're far too violent and unpleasant," he continued, "you see, I'm programmed for etiquette and protocol, not slaughtering defenseless biologicals. Why, they've even murdered my mistress, the Lady Yayle of—"

"Do you know your way around this palace?" Anakin interrupted him.

"Yes, sir, I've been here ever since my last assignment on Balmorra. I'm afraid my former master was killed there, as well. Such a dreadful business it was. Lately, I've been serving the Lady Yayle as her translator and—"

"We don't have a lot of time right now," Anakin told him impatiently.

Artoo chattered at the other droid.

"How rude!" C-3PO exclaimed in response, "you really ought to get that mechanic droid looked at, young sir. Its behavior is hardly acceptable in these more _civilized_ systems."

"Listen, Threepio, do you know where to find the nearest security terminal or not?" Anakin demanded.

"I most certainly do, young sir," the protocol droid replied happily, "and I would gladly show it to you, but those Separatist droids are everywhere. They'd most certainly blast us to bits if they caught us."

"We'll be careful."

"I really must advise against going out there. It's simply not suitable for a human being of your age to go wandering about during such a dangerous time. It's against my programming to knowingly endanger a youth."

Artoo bleeped obnoxiously.

"Well, I never!" Threepio exclaimed again, "of course I'm afraid. I'm not suited for combat."

"You have to help me find that terminal, Threepio," Anakin insisted, "if you don't, a lot of people will die, maybe even the queen. Does your programming say you can knowingly endanger the queen? She's also a 'youth', isn't she?"

Threepio stared briefly at him through his glowing mechanical eyes.

"Why, yes she is," he admitted. His artificial body drooped momentarily before he straightened his posture again. "It appears I have no choice. Very well; follow me."

Anakin and Artoo followed the protocol droid as he slowly waddled into the next hall. They rounded the corner to be greeted by a shot from a blaster. It struck the wall harmlessly, but Threepio's arms shot up.

"Ah!" he screamed, "I knew this would happen! I don't want to be turned to scrap!"

Anakin took cover behind the corner and fired back at the lone battle droid at the end of the hall. He missed, giving the droid the chance to fire again. The shot landed at the protocol droid's feet.

"I surrender!" Threepio shouted.

Anakin fired again, blasting the droid in its center. With it neutralized, he emerged from the cover of the corner and entered the hall to stare up at Threepio. The droid stopped panicking and looked back at him.

"Oh! How lucky we are to be in one piece. You see, young sir? This palace is full of danger with the Separatists in control."

"Stop calling me that," Anakin muttered, "my name is Anakin."

"Very well, young master Anakin. Shall we head back to safety?"

Anakin groaned.

"Just…keep moving."

Threepio reluctantly continued ahead, leading them through several hallways until stopping at a small door.

"These are Royal Guard Captain Panaka's personal living quarters," he said, "you'll find a security terminal inside."

"Thanks," Anakin chirped, heading past him to go inside.

The room was simply decorated, with a bed, a wardrobe, a bookshelf, and a desk. The terminal sat in the far corner of the room, beside the bed. Anakin stepped aside to let Artoo pass him and access it. The astromech droid plugged into the terminal's socket, rotating it as it accessed the network. Anakin watched the terminal's screen as it rapidly cycled through a series of displays, finally settling on one that read 'Hangar lockdown deactivated', flashing red as the message blinked on, off, then on again quickly.

"Good job, Artoo," Anakin told the droid triumphantly.

"What now, Master Anakin?" C-3PO asked, "shall we find somewhere secure to hide?"

"Actually, I have a better idea," Anakin replied. He looked at Artoo. "Have you ever been in a starfighter before?"

The astromech let out a low woo.

"Well, then I guess it'll be the first time for both of us," Anakin stated, "lead the way, Artoo."

Artoo bleeped excitedly and rolled past Threepio out into the hall with Anakin close on his tail. The protocol droid waddled after them.

"Wait," he cried, "Master Anakin, I'm not that fast!"

~*~

Obi-Wan and the queen's people fought their way through the third floor of the palace on their way to the control room. Ahead, he could see the room's door. The faint electric hum emanating from it told him it was magnetically sealed. A seal could stop and reflect blaster fire, but it was no match for a lightsaber's blade. He jammed the blade deep into the door's center, breaking the seal and the locking mechanism with it. He sliced his way inside to find the room abandoned.

"The general isn't here," Obi-Wan stated for the others as they entered after him, "there isn't anyone here."

Padmé walked across the room to access one of the many control room terminals. She shook her head.

"There's nothing in here to say where they might've gone," she said, "but they wouldn't have left the palace, I know that. They'd need to find somewhere else they could monitor our progress from."

"There's a backup terminal, on the second floor next to the throne room," Panaka stated, "it would have direct access to the security feed."

"Then let's head out," Obi-Wan suggested.

"Wait," Padmé spoke up, her gazed fixed on the screen. "You'll want to look at this, Obi-Wan."

The Jedi walked over to her to look down at the screen. Several windows were displayed on it with images of different locations throughout the palace. Padmé selected one of them by touching it on the screen and the image expanded to fill it. It was the image of an enormous room, with the city's main reactor, a giant column of white light protected behind a transparisteel cylinder, in its center. The camera was recording from just above a catwalk that wrapped around the entire chamber, spiraling downward to a platform half-way down the height of the enormous chamber. It was a solid platform, aside from two railed openings that revealed a long drop to the chamber's base.

Through the security feed, Obi-Wan saw his master and the Sith. The latter was attacking mercilessly, driving Qui-Gon down the catwalk toward the platform at its base. His master was managing to defend himself, but he was doing little else. He wouldn't be able to keep it up forever, he knew.

"Where is that?" he asked, "how did they get down there?"

"It's the bridge over the reactor room," Panaka replied from behind him, "there's a lift that leads straight to it."

"He looks like he's in trouble," Padmé commented. She looked up at him. "You should go help him."

Obi-Wan sighed and shook his head, mainly for his own benefit.

"I can't leave you here unprotected," he said.

"We'll protect her while you're gone," Panaka stated, "it's our job. Right now, you and your master should get rid of that thing once and for all. If it gets past him, it'll threaten all of us."

Obi-Wan nodded.

"Here," Panaka began again. He brought up a map of the palace on the screen. "You can get back to the lift this way, then just take it down as far as it will go. You'll be there in no time."

"Thank you, Captain," Obi-Wan replied, bowing his head before he took off in the opposite direction they'd come from.

Obi-Wan rushed through the palace, chopping his way through droids when he needed to, until he reached the easternmost turbolift. He hurried inside and slapped the button to travel downward.

As the lift took him toward the reactor, he closed his eyes and took several calming breaths in through his nose and out through his mouth. This was his first real challenge. He'd encountered servants of the Dark Side before, but never anyone powerful enough to give his master that much trouble. He was about to fight a Sith, something no Jedi thought would be necessary again. He didn't know what to expect from his opponent, but he knew failure wasn't an option. With his master's help, he would defeat him.

~*~

Anakin reentered the hangar behind Artoo, with Threepio trailing several meters behind in the hallway, still begging him to slow down. The room was clear of droids and humans alike, aside from himself and the astromech. Most of the starfighters had been launched, with only two left at the far side of the room. There were blast marks on the floor near the open hangar door. Someone must've been trying to blast their way out, before he and Artoo had lowered the energy shield.

Anakin grinned and ran to the closest of the two remaining starfighters, looking it over before climbing up the short ladder that brought him up to the cockpit. He sat down, put on the helmet waiting inside, and glanced over the controls.

"Ok, get underneath it, Artoo," he said.

The droid complied and Anakin tentatively pressed one of the buttons on the fighter's control console. A magnetic arm descended and attached itself to the droid's dome before lifting it up into the slot behind the cockpit. Artoo bleeped excitedly.

"Wait! Master Anakin, where are you going?"

Anakin looked toward the hangar's entrance to see Threepio finally waddling inside.

"To join the space battle, obviously," he replied.

"But you said you'd never been in a starfighter before!"

"There's a first time for everything."

Threepio nervously tottered around to close the hangar's entrance behind him.

"Master Anakin," the droid began again after turning back around, "are you quite sure you know how to pilot something so…dangerous?"

Anakin carefully started the fighter up.

"Well, I'm pretty sure taking off is the hard part," he said without taking his eyes off the console, "once I'm in the air, everything will be fine…I mean, until I need to land."

"Are you saying you don't know how to take off _or_ land?"

"No, do you?"

Threepio started walking toward the ship.

"Of course I don't," he replied, "and I really must insist that you get down from there. As the only _responsible_ droid programmed as an adult in this room, it's my job to—"

The starfighter lifted upward, knocking the ladder over. It clattered on the floor, its wheels spinning uselessly.

"Oops," Anakin muttered.

"Please, Master Anakin, it's much too—"

"If you say 'dangerous' again, I'll knock you down too," Anakin interrupted the droid.

He pressed the button that would close the cockpit's dome. He could still hear Threepio's protests, but they were muffled by the dome. Once it was sealed airtight, he couldn't hear him at all. Artoo's beeps sounded through the headset built into the fighter helmet he wore.

"We'll be fine, Artoo," Anakin replied, "how hard can it be?"

The starfighter turned toward the exit like he wanted it to, but backed up at the same time. He rushed to make corrections with the controls, but not in time to prevent the fighter's long tail from denting the wall behind it. Artoo protested with a squawk.

"Sorry, sorry," Anakin replied hastily. He cleared his throat. "It's ok; I got it now."

The fighter lurched forward, barely scraping the top of the docked fighter next to it. He clenched his teeth at the uncomfortable grating sound. Finally, the fighter cleared the hangar door and shot out into the air above.

"See? Told you I'd get it."

Artoo tweeted at him.

"Like I said, we'll be fine now that we're in the air," Anakin replied. He directed the ship to rise, toward the upper atmosphere. "I don't know if you saw how many ships the Separatists have up there, but the others are definitely going to need our help."

Artoo "woo"ed his agreement. The Nabooian starfighter broke free of the atmosphere and the openness of space greeted them. Starfighters of various kinds flew about, engaging vulture droids and gigantic battleships alike. Anakin spotted one or two fighters just like his among them, as well as a few of the Jedi starfighters. He laughed giddily.

"This beats podracing any day!"

~*~

Obi-Wan emerged from the turbolift and crossed the bridge that would lead him to the catwalk. He could hear lightsabers clashing below him, echoing throughout the enormous chamber. He paused briefly to look at the cracked glass on either side of the bridge, and at the damaged catwalk just after it. The fight had been ferocious one, to be sure.

He backed up to get a running start and jumped over to the undamaged portion of the catwalk. His feet hit the metal platform loudly, causing an echo. He looked down through the grating to see both his master and the Sith glance up at him. The fight resumed when the Sith struck out at the distracted Qui-Gon, nearly decapitating him. Obi-Wan hurried along the catwalk's gentle slope, down toward the platform where they were battling.

He'd made it halfway when he heard his master cry out. He looked down to see the Sith had wounded Qui-Gon's arm. His master was tiring, he knew. He willed the Force to give him strength as he continued running, using the slope to boost his momentum. As he ran, he watched the battle from the corner of his eye.

Suddenly, the blue glow of Qui-Gon's lightsaber disappeared. He stopped running and looked down to see his master's hand on the floor, severed from his arm. It still gripped his lightsaber's hilt. Qui-Gon reeled back, holding his wrist with the hand he still had. The Sith kicked his lightsaber into the shaft beside him and it fell to the cavern's bottom, taking Qui-Gon's hand with it.

"Master!" Obi-Wan cried.

The Sith kicked Qui-Gon square in the chest, knocking him back against the platform's railing, before leaping forward and driving his lightsaber's blade into the Jedi's torso.

"No!" Obi-Wan shrieked, launching himself over the catwalk's railing. He fell several meters before landing on the platform a short distance from the Sith and his master. "Get away from him!" he shouted.

The Sith looked over at him and grinned, but backed away from Qui-Gon, allowing the Jedi Master to topple forward and land face-first on the metal grating. Obi-Wan looked down at him, then up at the Sith as he cautiously inched closer. Once he'd reached his master, he knelt and touched his shoulder. Despite the small hope he'd been harboring in the back of his mind, he could sense the absence of the Force in him. Qui-Gon Jinn was dead.

Obi-Wan could only stare in horror at his master's corpse. The man had been the only father he ever knew, and he was suddenly gone, taken from him by the Sith.

He looked up at the Sith, who'd surprisingly been gracious enough to let him see Qui-Gon's body without trying to attack him. Perhaps he thought it would make him afraid to see what he'd done to his master. He stood watching him, gloating with the look of pride on his face.

"He was hardly a challenge," the Sith told him haughtily, "as nothing more than his apprentice, I doubt you'll last much longer."

Obi-Wan stood up, taking his lightsaber off his belt and holding it at his side.

"What are you?" he asked through clenched teeth, "are you truly a Sith as my master thought?"

"I am Darth Maul," the zabrak replied. He looked at Qui-Gon's lifeless form. "The first Sith to kill a Jedi in a thousand years." He looked back at Obi-Wan. "And that makes your master the first Jedi to fall as part of our glorious revenge. History will want to know his name."

"You don't get to know his name," Obi-Wan replied, glaring at him. He flicked his lightsaber on. "But since I'm the one who's going to punish you for what you've done here, you ought to know mine. I am Obi-Wan Kenobi and you're going to regret harming my master." He slid into an aggressive stance, his lightsaber at the ready.

"Good," Maul breathed. He pointed his own lightsaber at the padawan and grinned.

Obi-Wan didn't bother to calm his rage before growling in anger and rushing toward the Sith. He swung his lightsaber at him wildly. Maul managed to block his attacks, but he was driving him back. He kept fighting, pushing him toward the shaft where he'd so carelessly disposed of his master's lightsaber. He was determined to kill him, one way or the other.

Maul ducked under a sideways swipe and spun about. Obi-Wan could see he was trying to get away from the shaft and it only made his rage grow.

"You have such ferocity, but you don't truly know how to use it," the Sith said, backing away several steps to put some distance between them. Obi-Wan clutched his lightsaber tightly as they circled each other. Maul continued, "abandon the meekness of the Jedi. Allow me to show you the path to true power."

Obi-Wan lashed out with the Force, a blast erupting on all sides of him. Maul tumbled backward, but caught himself on a railing before he could fall to his death. He looked up in time to spin out of Obi-Wan's way and avoid being cut in half, but the Jedi managed to swipe his leg and he fell on his back. Obi-Wan advanced toward the Sith, prepared to kill him.

"No, Obi-Wan."

The Jedi froze. That was his master's voice. He looked to Qui-Gon's body, but he hadn't moved. Had it been his imagination? Whether it was his imagination or not, the voice had stopped him from making a horrible mistake. He realized he'd allowed his anger to drive him. Even then, he could feel the Dark Side's power in his mind. It tempted him with the promise that he'd have the power to destroy Darth Maul, but he knew he had to fight it. Yes, it would make it easier to win the battle, but he would lose himself in the process. He pushed the Dark Side's temptation from his mind. He was a Jedi. He couldn't afford to forget that.

Maul had recovered by the time Obi-Wan returned his attention to him. The Sith sneered at him.

"What was that hesitation?" he asked, "are you afraid to kill me?"

"A Jedi kills out of necessity, not anger," Obi-Wan replied calmly.

Maul growled.

"How disappointing," he growled, "for a short moment, I had true hope for you. But I have no use for one whose mind has been so polluted by the weak teachings of the Jedi."

He pressed a switch on his lightsaber's hilt, bringing forth a second blade from its other end. Obi-Wan backed up a step. He'd heard of lightsabers with two blades before, that they were occasionally used by the Sith, but he'd never had to spar someone wielding one before. He wasn't sure what to expect, and he knew he wasn't prepared.

Maul advanced, spinning his double-bladed lightsaber from side to side in a dizzying display. Obi-Wan couldn't follow the dual blades as they whipped around. Which direction would the attack come from? He found himself backing up again, just to stay out of his reach for a bit longer. The Sith smirked and the Jedi realized he was showing his fear on his face. He pushed the emotion aside and tried to focus.

At last, Darth Maul struck at him. Obi-Wan blocked it, then swiped back at him. The Sith ducked under his blade and spun away to his left, but Obi-Wan had already recovered and jabbed at him. The Sith stumbled backward to avoid being stabbed in the gut. Obi-Wan shifted his foot forward and whipped his lightsaber to the side, cutting a gash in Maul's left arm. The Sith grunted in pain and backed away before raising his lightsaber again. He seemed less amused, then, the haughty grin on his face replaced with an angry frown.

"You're faster than your master," he hissed.

"Perhaps you judged me too quickly," Obi-Wan suggested.

"I don't think so."

Maul forced him to duck with a quick slice, then kicked him in the side, shoving him to the floor. Obi-Wan rolled as he made contact with the metal grate and ended up in a kneeling position beside his master's lifeless form. The Jedi Knight's eyes were only half closed. The sight of it sent a stinging pain into his heart. Obi-Wan wanted to just ask Qui-Gon to move, to respond and help him fight the Sith. He had to push that aside, as well as his pain. It was useless to hope for something that wouldn't happen.

Even worse, it was a distraction, a fact he learned quickly when Maul's boot struck him in the face. He fell back against the grate, but managed to whip his lightsaber up to block an attack from above. He rolled over his head, back to his knees, and blocked another strike. He pushed Maul back with a heave as he came to stand again. A quick swipe and he forced the Sith back again. Maul's frown turned to a snarl when his back hit the railing. Obi-Wan seized the advantage and slashed at his leg, cutting another gash.

Maul roared in frustration and grabbed his tunic to shove him backward. He dashed toward him and spun his lightsaber to bring it down on Obi-Wan, the blade moving faster than he could react. Rather than attempt to block it, he dodged to his left and the laser blade narrowly missed his ear. The Sith didn't need to recover. Instead, he merely spun it again, striking down at him with the other blade. Obi-Wan dodged to the right, this time putting more distance between himself and his opponent. His heel nearly slipped and he realized he was standing just in front of one of the shafts that would lead him at least a hundred meters down, to the cavern floor. He shifted his footing, turning his back away from the hole.

Without closing the distance, Maul swung his lightsaber around toward the Jedi's neck. Obi-Wan managed to bring his own saber up in time to block it. The two blades locked together, their opposing energies crackling loudly, sparks of light erupting from the point of contact as the Jedi and the Sith both attempted to outmuscle each other. Obi-Wan clenched his teeth tightly, trying to shove the zabrak away.

The Sith's features were consumed with a terrifying fury while he pushed against him. Maul's muscle strength proved superior as he pushed Obi-Wan's left side against the railing that lined the open chasm. The metal pressed painfully into the Jedi's ribcage, but he refused to let the Sith force him over it.

Suddenly, Maul's lightsaber gave way. Obi-Wan stumbled forward and nearly ran into the Sith's second blade, which he'd twisted upward to slice his legs. Obi-Wan quickly, but clumsily jumped forward, over Maul's blade, and fell on the grate. His momentum rolled him over his side and onto his back. The Sith spun about to face him and rammed his lightsaber downward, intending to stab him.

Obi-Wan pushed himself back onto his side and the red beam sunk itself into the grate behind him. He continued his roll to get away from the Sith's weapon and got up on his knee. Before he could prevent it, Maul swung the blade up and sliced the hilt of Obi-Wan's lightsaber, right at the base of the blade. The lightsaber's lenses ruined, it fizzled out, leaving the Jedi with a useless metal rod.

Obi-Wan dropped the hilt and scrambled to get away from the Sith before getting back on his feet. He faced Maul, unarmed, and continued to back away from him. The Sith followed him, but didn't close the distance between them. The grin on his face only made Obi-Wan feel more defenseless than he already was. He was relishing it, the fear Obi-Wan couldn't set aside. He realized, then, that he wasn't prepared to fight a Sith Lord.

Could anything have prepared him? This fight was unlike anything he'd been trained for. Entire generations of Jedi had been raised without this experience. How could any of them be ready for the Sith reemergence? If there were more, besides Maul himself, they would sweep through the unprepared Jedi with almost no resistance!

Fear consumed Obi-Wan, squeezing his heart and mind in an icy, unforgiving hand. He felt the temptation. It was the temptation to surrender to the Sith in the hopes he would spare him. But that felt foolish. Sith weren't creatures of mercy. No, there was another temptation lurking slowly through his thoughts. The temptation of power. Maul had already offered it to him on a platter. He knew it was wrong, but Maul's power was undeniable. He could do so much good with that power. If it had to exist in the universe, why shouldn't it be used by someone with good intentions?

No. He knew the histories! He knew what the power of the Sith led to. He fought to force the temptation away, to release his fear from his mind and embrace his Jedi training. No one had ever claimed resisting the Dark Side was easy, but he knew it was a battle worth fighting. He had to stop thinking, to stop trying to resolve the situation with his own strength. He didn't have the strength on his own. No one did. He allowed the Force to fill him like an empty cup, his mind cleared of his own worries and attempts to understand the situation. The Force was his guide. It was in control.

A Jedi was more than his lightsaber. He reached his arm up, toward the catwalk, and grabbed it with the invisible hand of the Force. The already precariously-dangling catwalk tore away from its remaining supports and hurtled downward. Obi-Wan threw the mass of metal at Maul from behind. The Sith whirled about and sliced it in two before it could hit him. He whipped back around and dashed toward Obi-Wan.

The Jedi jumped away from him, but stopped when his back hit the railing. Panic set in once again when he realized how close he'd come to falling into the chasm. Maul was upon him by then. He sliced downward, cutting the railing apart after Obi-Wan's hasty dodge.

Rather than try slicing him again, Maul shot his hand out and grasped Obi-Wan by the throat. He yanked the Jedi to the side and shoved him backward, past the gap he'd created in the railing. Obi-Wan's boots slipped and his feet dangled over the chasm. He desperately grabbed Maul's forearm with both hands as the Sith's grip on his neck tightened. He gasped in a breath, his heart pounding.

"For a brief moment, I suspected you could beat me," Maul stated, staring him down, "all this time the Dark Side has been reaching out to you. Had you accepted it, you might have stood a chance against me."

Obi-Wan looked down at the fall beneath him. It was a straight drop, lined with large pipes and the jagged edges of the platform's metal support beams. Cables and power lines stretched from one side of the shaft to the other. He could see the bottom, but he'd been down there once before to look up, when they were entering the palace. He knew from how high it'd looked back then that dropping that far unhindered would mean certain death.

"You were doing well," the Sith continued, "at least, better than I would've expected someone of your age to do. But no Jedi padawan can match the power of a Sith Lord."

Obi-Wan's lungs begged for breath, his airways completely closed off by the pressure on his throat. He tried to fight the panic and reached for the Force. It responded to him, somehow filling him with comfort despite his inability to breathe through his constricted airway. He allowed one of his hands to release Maul's arm, prompted by the Force's guidance, and held it out in front of him, unleashing the Force's energy against the Sith. Maul's grip slipped from his neck as the blast sent him onto his back.

With nothing to stop him, Obi-Wan tumbled down into the pit. His back struck one of the pipes in the shaft, but his momentum bounced him off of it and he fell toward a tangle of cables. He reached his hands out and caught one of them. The cable went taut with a strong yank on the Jedi's arm sockets. He grunted in pain, but kept his grip on it as his legs swung forward, then back again. As he dangled over the drop, he had the time to look up toward the platform.

He saw Maul jump down onto the pipe he'd struck, then search for another step downward. Obi-Wan looked below and located a sturdy support beam a short distance away. He swung himself forward and released the cable. He landed on his feet and looked up again to see the Sith stop. He ignited his lightsaber again to slice one of the cables near the one on which the Jedi had caught his fall. It whipped toward him and he barely dodged in time to avoid getting hit. It smacked the wall of the shaft next to him with a loud, high-pitched snap before swinging away. Its energy spent, the wire gently swung back and forth over the chasm while the residual electricity it held sizzled out of its severed end.

Obi-Wan didn't waste any time in continuing down the precarious climb, jumping from support beams to pipes, with Maul working relentlessly to keep up with him. Eventually, he ran out of places to jump and the free fall between the pipe he stood on and the bottom of the chamber stared back at him. The Force had sent him down the shaft. He had to trust it. Swallowing his worries about what awaited him at the bottom, he leapt.

Obi-Wan landed on his feet, but was forced forward by the impact and rolled over his arm. He wound up with his face and chest against the stone floor. He grunted as he pushed himself up and onto his hands and knees. Feeling the call of the Force, he glanced to the side to see a lightsaber hilt several meters away, beside one of the reactor's gathering towers.

He recognized the hilt as his master's. He reached his hand out to it and called it to him. Qui-Gon's hilt twitched briefly against the floor before it flew into his hand and he wrapped his fingers around it. He closed his eyes.

"Master," he whispered, "please, lend me your strength."

At that moment, he thought he felt a hand touch his back. The comforting presence of the Force flooded into his body with renewed intensity, erasing his terror in an instant. He felt his body spin about on one knee, igniting the lightsaber as it did. Maul's blade missed him by mere centimeters, striking the ground beside him. Obi-Wan swung his master's lightsaber upward and sliced through the Sith's elongated hilt. One of the double blades fizzled out. The Sith didn't allow the setback to slow him down. He struck down at the crouched Jedi, who rolled out of the way and back to his feet.

The area they occupied was lit solely by the white arcs of electricity that shot out between the five gathering towers arranged around the center of the cavern floor, where the base of the reactor's column sat. In the brief flashes of bright light, Obi-Wan could see his opponent turn toward him and advance. Before Maul could close the distance between them, he went on the offensive and lunged forward, forcing the Sith to back up. He swung again, faster than he knew he could, and Maul was forced to retreat another step. Obi-Wan's renewed strength and speed continued to drive him back, toward the gathering tower behind him.

The Sith stopped backing away when the electric hum of the tower was directly behind him. He pivoted to avoid one of Obi-Wan's attacks, then finally managed to strike back. The Jedi blocked it and their blades clashed together as Obi-Wan pushed forward, attempting to force him against the reactor's base, which was alive with electricity. The Sith planted his feet in place and pushed back. Obi-Wan's foot slipped on the stone floor and he was forced to take a step away. Maul brought his lightsaber up to slice down at him, but he dodged it by spinning to the side. He whipped his lightsaber downward, slicing through both of the Sith's wrists. His lightsaber hilt clacked to the ground as he cried out.

Maul stumbled away from the reactor's base, then fell to his knees beside one of the gathering towers. He groaned in pain, bringing his arms close to his chest.

"You…can't!" he growled, "I had you!"

"So sorry to disappoint," Obi-Wan replied calmly, his breathing completely in check despite the physical exertion of the fight. He pointed the blue blade of his master's lightsaber toward him. "You're out of options, Darth," he continued, "surrender."

"The Sith never surrender," Maul replied.

"Perhaps that's why they were wiped out."

Obi-Wan brought the lightsaber up to decapitate him; it would be a quick, painless death, though he didn't deserve it. Darth Maul jumped backward, between the reactor column and the gathering tower, and landed on his back. Obi-Wan started toward him, but was intercepted by an arc of electricity that erupted between them. When cut out again, the Sith was gone. Obi-Wan ran out from behind the gathering tower and looked toward the two exits, both leading to the tunnels. He tried to decide which one he might've taken, deciding on the one that led away from the city.

"Stop."

He stopped.

"Master?" he whispered.

"He is beaten. Queen Amidala needs you."

Obi-Wan looked around the chamber, then up at the platform above, where he knew Qui-Gon's body was still lying.

"I don't understand," he said.

"Go, now. The Force will be with you, always."

"Wait! Master, where are you?"

There was no response. He wanted desperately to search for him, to figure out how it was possible he could still be talking to him after death, but he knew he was right. He couldn't leave the others to fend for themselves against the multitude of droids the Separatists had at their disposal. He stepped away from the tunnel that led back into the underground maze and rushed into the one that would bring him back to the palace courtyard.

~*~

General Aderonn and his armed officers emerged from their places hidden behind the control consoles in the security room beside the throne room. As planned, they'd caught the intruders by surprise. Five Nabooian security volunteers accompanied six young women, all dressed in red tunics of various shades. He knew about their handmaiden scheme, a lesson he'd learned after their escape. One of them was the queen. Finally, they'd recaptured her.

"Welcome back, your highness," he said, his blaster pistol pointed at the group he and his officers had cornered in the room. He swept it across the group, pausing briefly on each of the six girls. "I know you're one of these women. Come forward now and I won't need to start shooting your men."

The girl dressed in the deepest red tunic stepped toward him, away from the others.

"You have me, General," she said, "now tell your traitorous dogs to back off."

"You've always been such pleasant company," Aderonn replied sarcastically. He gestured toward one of his officers with his chin. "Take their weapons, Lieutenant."

The young Cerean officer moved forward to take the queen's blaster from her, before instructing the rest of her entourage to hand theirs over as well. Before they could comply, a panel on the back wall slid open and the Royal Guard Captain, Panaka, emerged from some hidden passage Aderonn hadn't seen before. Behind him was another of his security volunteers and a seventh young woman, dressed similarly to the others.

"Stand down," the girl ordered firmly.

Aderonn whipped about and fired, but hadn't had the time to take aim. He missed his mark and the guard captain fired back, killing his lieutenant with a well-placed shot in the brow. One of his officers fired, hitting the wall beside the security volunteer, who returned the shot and killed him. Their prisoners joined the fight, but the general kept his focus on the newcomers. Aderonn felt someone strike the back of his knee and he fell forward. The seventh girl rushed to him and forced him to the ground, putting her knee on his back and the barrel of her pistol to his head.

"I said stand down," she said.

"Stand down!" Aderonn called.

His officers stopped firing and the intruders successfully disarmed them.

"Good work, Sabé," the girl on his back told the one he'd suspected was the queen.

"You as well, your highness," Sabé replied.

Aderonn spat a curse. The queen got off of him and he got back to his feet, glaring at her.

"I knew you were more trouble than you were worth," he growled.

Queen Amidala lowered her blaster and stuck it in her belt.

"These brute tactics are out of place in a house of political discourse like this palace, General," she said. He sneered, but she didn't react to it. "If it's alright with you, I would like to try a different tactic. Negotiation."

"The Separatist Movement isn't interested in anything short of the complete dissolution of the Galactic Senate, in favor of a stronger body of government," Aderonn replied. He smiled. "One that wouldn't be too afraid of ruining its image to deal with a threat. Judging by the company you're keeping, the Senate wasn't very useful to you, either."

The queen's posture straightened and she regarded him with a straight, unfazed expression. Despite her political training in maintaining one's "cool", he knew he was right, and that it affected her.

"We're not here to discuss the Republic," she stated, "we're here to talk about the future of Naboo. You made a mistake by invading my planet, General. The Naboo may be peaceful in nature, but that doesn't make us weak. Nor does it make us afraid to resort to 'aggressive negotiation'." She gestured to the captain, who raised his weapon. "Now, you had the entire time you held me captive to present your demands. It's only fair that I have the same opportunity, under the same conditions."

"You have no idea what you're doing, girl," Aderonn hissed, "nor how big this really is."

"Nonetheless, I 'have the floor', as it were, and this is my demand: I want the Trade Federation control codes. That, or you can deactivate the droids on your own. That gives you two options, which is more than you gave me when you demanded my surrender."

"You thought this would be easy, didn't you?" Aderonn sneered, "did you really think we'd be stupid enough to keep codes that important in a place you've already escaped from once before?"

"Where are they?" the queen asked.

"Far from here," the general replied teasingly, "and you can do what you like to me and my men, but I will never tell you where to find them. You see, I've never had absolute control of the droids. You've made it this far, but all for nothing."

The queen looked toward the room's entrance when the sound of metal clacking reached them from the hallway outside.

"Tell your droids to stand down," she said.

"I refuse."

The queen sighed and gestured toward the secret tunnel she'd entered through.

"Captain, take the officers out the back way," she ordered, "I'll seal it once we're all through. One of them will have to talk, eventually."

The general raised his hand to the tiny earpiece he wore and pressed it.

"You're in command now, Colonel," he announced clearly.

Responding to the passcode, the droids outside began to fire in on them. Two of his officers were slaughtered immediately. A third bolt struck him in the chest and he collapsed to the floor.

~*~

Padmé watched in horror as the droids quickly killed off the Separatist officers, leaving them with not a single prisoner to question. Once the last of them had fallen, the droids turned their weapons on her people. The room they were cornered in provided them with very few defensive positions. She pointed back at the secret tunnel she and the captain had used.

"Everyone! Get out of here, now," she ordered.

Padmé and her entourage rushed out of the room through the secret tunnel. Once the last of the Resistance fighters had filed through, she closed the panel behind him and hurried after them. After turning a corner and proceeding to the passage's end, they emerged in a hallway to the left of the throne room. A squad of droids awaited them and they were forced to fight their way out until they could take cover in the sconce alcoves lining the hall. Saché didn't make it that far. She managed, at least, to take two of the droids with her before she fell. Padmé gave her a silent prayer, then continued to fire on their attackers.

Padmé flinched back into the alcove when a bolt struck the wall beside her. The man standing in the alcove across the hall from her was struck in the back and he fell to the floor. She looked back and noticed a second squad of droids behind them, cutting off their escape route. She muttered a curse under her breath and fired back, blasting one of them before she was forced to take cover again. They couldn't hold out for long, she knew.

She shrieked when a blaster bolt hit her shin and fell to one knee.

"My queen!" she heard one her Resistance fighters cry. She looked up and saw him step toward her, exposing himself to the droids' fire.

"No!" she shouted, "stay there!"

The man did as he was told. She sat down and pressed her back to the alcove's wall. She twisted her upper body to continue shooting, but she knew her pistol's energy clip would eventually run out of charge. She wouldn't let them capture her again and force her planet's surrender. She'd rather die fighting than allow that.

Padmé's eyes widened when she heard a familiar sound. Someone had just switched on a lightsaber. She looked back toward the wall of droids on the northern side of the hallway and saw a blue blade slice through the droids furthest to the group's back. Qui-Gon had finally made it back.

One of the men to her left hollered excitedly as the Jedi carved his way to them through the droids. Once he'd taken care of enough of them, she could see him clearly and realized it wasn't Qui-Gon, but Obi-Wan carrying his lightsaber. She didn't want to think about what that could mean for the Jedi Master. Obi-Wan cut down the last droid and advanced to put himself between the second squad of droids and her people.

"Go!" he yelled, blocking the shots meant for them.

Captain Panaka rushed to her side and pulled her arm over his shoulder so he could hoist her up. With his support, she limped down the hallway with the others, past the dozens of droids Obi-Wan had cleared for them. Eirtaé and one of the five remaining security volunteers took up positions in front of them while the others followed. They made their way around the corner and into the inner parts of the palace, where the living quarters were located. She heard Obi-Wan run to catch up with them, his lightsaber still humming as he covered their rear.

The hallways were narrower and corners more frequent, allowing them to get out of their pursuers' lines of sight, but the clack of droid feet on the tile floors behind them was a constant reminder that they couldn't slow down. Padmé's injured leg ached as she battled to keep up with the captain, despite her waning strength. She could hear the others breathing heavily with the effort. They were all getting tired and she knew they couldn't run for much longer. Unfortunately, none of them knew where they were running.

Their plan had been thoroughly ruined by the deaths of General Aderonn and his officers. It was obvious to Padmé then that Aderonn was hardly their leader. If anything, he was merely another pawn, one that was happy to throw himself away for the cause. Aside from the strange man they'd run into on the turbolift, she had no clue as to who might be calling the shots. She doubted it was him, though. Obi-Wan had returned safely, and with Qui-Gon's lightsaber. He'd been in the same room as him, and she knew by the look on that creature's face that Obi-Wan wouldn't have made it out alive if he were still a threat. No, someone else had to be their leader. Someone out of reach.

And that was the problem. They were without an objective, and wandering around the palace was doing them no good. She had to come up with a plan, something to give her followers hope. They were counting on her as their elected leader. She didn't want them thinking they'd made a mistake by following her. Unfortunately, it was something she wasn't sure of herself. Despite her desire to serve Naboo, there was a part of her beginning to think her critics were right about her. Perhaps she was truly too young, and too naïve to be queen.

Eirtaé sped around the next corner ahead of Padmé and Captain Panaka, then stopped abruptly only half a second before the sound of a blaster shot. The girl was struck in the side and she fell down, but managed to fire back.

"Take cover!" she shouted.

The Resistance fighter beside Eirtaé grabbed the shoulder of her tunic to drag her back behind the corner, where she was no longer exposed to enemy fire. She managed to stand up again and turned to face Captain Panaka.

"Four battle droids, two Separatists," she told him, "they're scrunched pretty close together. If we had an explosive of some sort, we—"

Eirtaé's report was cut off when blaster shots erupted behind them. Obi-Wan knocked them away from the others with his lightsaber. Padmé looked back when she heard something rolling across the surface of the floor.

"Droideka!" she warned the others.

While still being supported by the captain, she reached back with her blaster and fired at the metal ball quickly gaining on their position. She hit it, but barely managed to slow it down. She fired twice more and the ball clumsily unfurled before crashing into the wall and collapsing into a half-closed lump of scrap.

The group didn't have long to celebrate the small victory before two more droidekas rolled around the corner and past the droids already shooting at them from the hall.

"Get them before they transform!" Rabé shouted.

Padmé's heart sank when she heard the same sound coming from behind. Soon, they were once again trapped between two squads of droids. This time, however, the droidekas accompanying them made it impossible to free themselves. They backed up, into the only door they could reach. The room beyond it was little more than a large closet.

Obi-Wan locked the door behind them and switched Qui-Gon's lightsaber off. He put the hilt back on his belt and faced the door while the others hastily tried to tend their wounds in the short time they'd have before the droids could corner them. The door whined as the Separatists tried to get inside. It cracked open.

Obi-Wan raised both arms toward it. The door twitched and the mechanics continued to strain, but the strength of the Force overpowered them. The door slammed shut again after something inside it snapped and Obi-Wan let his arms fall back to his sides.

"It won't hold forever," he said, turning around, "but we have some time."

"Time to do what?"

Padmé looked over at the man who'd spoken. He was occupied with tending to the wound on Eirtaé's side, his weapon on the floor beside him. Like the others, his face was grim.

"Time to lick our wounds," Captain Panaka replied, "and to get ready to keep fighting. When those Seps break through, we're going to give them hell. They might get us in the end, but we're not going to make it easy for them."

The muffled sound of a blast managed to reach them through the closed door. It held firm, but it wasn't meant to withstand blasters, especially not the heavy-grade ones the droidekas were armed with. Padmé knew they didn't have long.

"No," she said. She looked at the captain. "It's not going to do any of us any good if we force them to kill us."

"Surrendering won't do us any good either," one of the security volunteers countered.

"Not today, it won't," Padmé agreed, "but tomorrow, or the next day when we have the chance to continue fighting, it will. At the very least, it'll give the other teams around the planet time to find a weakness. Without finding a new weakness, we can't end this invasion."

She looked up with the others when another loud blast rattled the door. Obi-Wan looked at her.

"The queen is right," he said.

"They may kill us anyway," Captain Panaka reminded him.

"Perhaps," Obi-Wan replied, "but if we fight them, our deaths will be certain. My master said it often: there are alternatives to fighting."

"We'll figure something out," Padmé assured the captain, "but we need more time than we have to do it. Surrendering will give us that time."

The captain looked at the door again.

"Very well," he relented, "but they'll have to break in first. I want them to work for it."

~*~

Anakin spun his starfighter under an incoming vulture droid and fired, blasting the one behind it into space dust. He turned the ship around to face the first one, which was already trying to get on his tail. He fired again.

"Woo!" he exclaimed after the droid exploded, "see, Artoo? I told you I'd get the hang of it."

Artoo replied excitedly.

Anakin's grin vanished when he looked up in time to see two of his allies get blown to bits by the turrets mounted on the outer hull of one of the Separatist battleships. In the time he'd been spacebourne fifteen of their fighters were destroyed. It was a lot to lose in such a short time.

"What's taking them so long?" he heard one of the other pilots ask over their channel.

"Cut the chatter," another replied.

"No, he's right," a third stated, "the ground team should've gotten these droids shut down by now. We can't take much more of this!"

"There's a whole army of droids down there," the second insisted.

"We knew this wouldn't be easy," a fourth voice reminded them. Anakin recognized it as Master Azro's. It was comforting to know at least one of the Jedi was still alive in the chaos.

"Not easy is one thing, but this is impossible!"

"Hey!" he heard Ruta reply, "you guys are pilots, aren't you? Pilots do impossible things every day. Suck it up and get to work!"

There weren't any complaints after that. Anakin hadn't thought it the most inspiring thing someone could've said, but it must've worked. He glanced down toward the planet and his thoughts began to wander in Padmé's direction. Almost immediately, something told him they were still alive. He was sure of that much, just as sure he was that they were in serious danger.

"They're in trouble, Artoo," he murmured, "Padmé, Obi-Wan, all of them."

Artoo questioned him with a series of nervous beeps.

"No, I'm sure of it," he replied, "they need help. But how would we…?"

His sentence trailed off when he looked up and spotted one of the battleships directly in front of him. It was one of several ring-shaped ones with a gap in one side where the ship's hangar was. He stared at it. He didn't know how he knew it, but he knew it was important. Very important.

"We have to destroy that ship," he said.

Artoo whined at him.

"I don't know why, exactly, but I know we have to do it, somehow. Can't you scan the ship and find a weakness?"

Artoo squawked doubtfully at him.

"Just try it, ok?"

Artoo transmitted the scan's results to the screen on the cockpit's console. Anakin grimaced.

"Armor and deflector shields," he grumbled. He looked back at the battleship. "There's no way I can destroy it with these guns. But I just _know_ there's a way to blow that thing up. We just have to find it."

Ahead, he could see the energy shield of the ship's hangar fizzle out just as a brown vehicle began to emerge. He recognized it as one of the droid transports the other pilots had been targeting.

"I have an idea," he murmured.

Anakin grinned and threw the throttle to full. Artoo let out a series of exclamations, but he ignored the droid's complaints. Once he was within range, he opened fire on the droid transport. A few good hits and it exploded while it was still on the edge of the hangar. The starfighter flew through the debris, straight into the open hangar. The shield closed, but too late to keep him out. Red lights began flashing an alarm. Anakin quickly slowed the fighter as it sped over the tops of the other droid transports stored inside. Artoo screamed frantically at him. They were rapidly approaching the back section of the hangar, where an enormous door was closing.

"I know, I know," Anakin replied, "don't worry; I actually know what I'm doing this time."

He rotated the ship until it was flying vertically, tearing the tops off of several droids standing on the hangar floor. The fighter narrowly whizzed through the closing gap in the door and emerged in the battleship's inner workings.

"Yeah!" he exclaimed.

Artoo beeped a series of instructions at him.

"Power core, got it," he replied.

He looked around the large chamber, but was forced to evade a series of blaster shots from turrets mounted on the ceiling before he could focus on anything. The fighter shook each time a shot managed to hit its mark. He spun the fighter in a barrel roll, then focused its targeting system on one of the turrets. Once he'd knocked two of them out, he pulled the ship up sharply to turn about and got another look around the chamber. He spotted a long column reaching from floor to ceiling. The scanner readouts indicated a strong energy signature. He pressed the trigger on the control stick, but nothing happened.

"Artoo, what's going on?" he asked.

The droid replied in a series of urgent beeps. Anakin grimaced.

"Those shots must've hit harder than I thought," he muttered through clenched teeth. He began manipulating controls on the cockpit's console, though he didn't have a lot of options. "There has to be some way to restore power. See what you can do; we can't fly around in here forever."

The fighter twisted to avoid ramming into the power core and retreated to the far side of the room before turning around again. He pressed his lips together in frustration when he saw how many droids were gathering on the scaffolds to his right, responding to the ship-wide alarm. Their blasters wouldn't do a lot of damage to the ship alone, but if there were enough of them firing on him at once, he'd be in serious trouble.

"How's it coming, Artoo?" he asked. He frowned at the droid's reply. "That's not good enough. We can't blow the power core with the weapon systems only half-powered."

The droid squawked at him and he groaned.

"I know, I know, you're doing your best." Anakin sped the fighter up to make it a harder target for the battle droids, weaving and ducking around the scaffolds. He looked down at the console when a light began flashing on it. "Wait, what's that?" he asked.

Artoo whined at him.

"That's not good. How long will I last up here without life support?" Artoo's answer made him smile. "Good. I have an idea." He reached to the side of his helmet to strap the attached mask over his mouth and nose. When he could hear himself breathing through it, he knew it was secure. "Artoo," he called, his voice coming through the mask, "divert all remaining power from the cockpit's life support to the weapons. Use it to boost the laser strength. We're going to hit that thing with everything we have."

Artoo bleeped an affirmative. The cockpit began to get cooler as the life support system was drained. He shivered involuntarily, but ignored the cold and targeted the power core again. He held the trigger down, firing a steady stream of blaster bolts at it. Electricity coursed up and down the column as the shots began to disrupt the power flow. A few more and its center exploded in a shower of sparks and fire. The flames engulfed the droids on the scaffold and billowed outward to fill the room.

Anakin diverted his fire to the door and blasted an opening in it. The starfighter raced through the spreading flames and out into the hangar. Shockwaves of more explosions shook the fighter as gusts of fire erupted from all sides of the hangar around it. Anakin gritted his teeth together as the flames began to grow around him, threatening to fry him along with the Separatists aboard the battleship. He targeted the lines that provided power to the hangar's shield and destroyed them. The shield separating the hangar from open space dissipated in front of him and the starfighter raced out, closely followed by the explosions. Anakin let out an exclamation of joy when he cleared the hangar and rocketed out into space.

"Look!" one of the other pilots exclaimed over their channel, "that battleship's going down!"

"Yeah, looks like one of our own flying out of the hangar!" another replied.

"Yea-hoo!"

"I don't recognize your designation, buddy, but that was some _fancy_ flying!"

Anakin grinned under the breath mask and replied, "thanks."

"Wait, is that a kid?"

"Hey there, Shorty," Ruta greeted him, "I thought you were planetside."

"I thought you could use a little help," Anakin replied.

"Who is that?" Master Azro asked.

"That's future Master Skywalker," Ruta replied, "right, Shorty?"

Anakin laughed.

"You know it."

Anakin glanced back when the battleship behind him lit up in an enormous explosion. Debris hurtled outward in all directions into open space. A collective cheer went up over the fighter channel. Anakin looked forward again just in time to see an incoming vulture droid. He ducked the starfighter under it and looked down at the scanner to see if it would follow him. It didn't. He looked around and noticed every vulture droid within sight floating harmlessly around the blockade. They'd been deactivated!

"Looks like you hit the control ship," he heard Master Shenn comment, "good work, 'Master Skywalker'."

Anakin glanced down at the flashing red light on the console, indicating the starfighter's less-than-pristine condition.

"Honestly, I think I might've just gotten lucky this time," he admitted, "my fighter isn't doing so great."

"Tell me about it," one of the pilots added, "are you ok? Scanners show your life support is shot."

"I'm fine," Anakin replied. He allowed himself to take a few deep breaths before answering, trying to fight off the growing cold. "I had to boost my weapon systems."

"What's that have to do with your life support?" Ruta asked.

"I had to get the power from somewhere."

He heard her laugh.

"You're a little bit insane, aren't you?" she said, "I can respect that. Anyway, we'll be able to handle things from here. You need to land before you freeze to death."

"I won't argue with that," Anakin replied between shivers. He angled the ship down toward Naboo and sped up.

"You've done well, young Skywalker," Master Feyron told him, "I'll make sure Master Yoda hears of it upon our return to Coruscant."

"Thanks!"

Ruta was the last to speak before he entered the atmosphere, "I'll see you planetside, Shorty."

~*~

Obi-Wan threw an arm up in front of his face as the locked door blasted inward, pelting them with shrapnel. When he lowered his arm again, he saw several squads of droids and their Separatist comrades raise their weapons in their direction. Although his lightsaber was still harmlessly hanging from his belt, he expected to feel the pain of multiple blaster shots before any of them would have the chance to say "I surrender".

Suddenly, the droids drooped simultaneously. Some of them dropped their blasters or fell to the floor while others remained standing, but inactive.

"They stopped?" he heard one of the men whisper.

Obi-Wan reached out to the nearest of the droids and pushed it gently. It fell without resistance. The Jedi looked up at the puzzled Separatists and pulled his master's lightsaber off his belt to ignite it. The Separatists' eyes went wide and they dropped their blasters before raising their arms in surrender. Padmé stepped forward.

"Captain, show our prisoners to their new quarters," she said.

"With pleasure, your highness," Panaka replied.

Obi-Wan watched the captain and his security personnel move forward to lead the Separatists away. Once they were gone, he put the lightsaber away again and looked up toward the ceiling. Although he'd only sensed it a handful of times, he recognized a small quiver in the Force: Anakin Skywalker. He smiled to himself.

Colonel Ezna Belrut stood on the bridge of the late General Aderonn's command ship as she watched the Nabooian starfighters effortlessly destroy their deactivated vulture droids and begin firing on the ships of the blockade. With nothing to keep the fighters busy, the turrets made easy targets. She didn't need to see many of them destroyed before she knew it was only a matter of time. Their ships would be boarded by Jedi and without the droids' manpower, they'd have no problem capturing or executing the commanders. Belrut stepped up to the comm. terminal.

"Order the fleet to retreat," she told the officer behind it.

"Sir?" one of the lieutenants asked, stepping closer, "we still have our ships. We can figure something out."

"The Trade Federation's droids are gone," Belrut reminded him, "we've lost the planet's surface and there are Jedi flying around, ready to board us. Do you want to face them without droid support?"

The lieutenant lowered his head.

"No, Sir…but I don't want to give up either."

Belrut shook her head.

"The invasion of Naboo is over, but our movement is not," she replied, "the Republic hasn't seen the last of the Separatists. You have my word."

The lieutenant nodded grimly and backed up a step.

Belrut turned back to the comm. officer.

"Order the retreat," she said.

The comm. officer nodded.

"Yes, Sir."


	9. The Aftermath

Obi-Wan stood outside the _Autumn Whisper_ while R2-D2 did a thorough diagnostic of its systems. Having successfully moved it from the jungle to the palace's hangar, he was finally able to see the exact amount of damage his flying had inflicted on it. In fact, it wasn't horrible. There were a few deep scratches on the sides and some shallow dents in the front as a result of his carving through the jungle canopy, but all the damage appeared to be cosmetic in nature. Nonetheless, he'd thought it wise to have the astromech check the ship for any unseen problems before he and Anakin used it to return to Coruscant.

Anakin was crouched on the hangar floor a few meters from where he was, picking leaves and twigs out of his sandals to examine them as if he'd never seen a plant in his life. Understandably, there hadn't been time to look around during all the excitement a few days earlier, but Obi-Wan could only imagine what arriving on the lush Naboo would've been like for someone who spent his entire life on a desert planet.

The Jedi looked over to the ship's ramp when he heard the astromech droid chirping from the top of it.

"Does everything check out?" he asked.

R2-D2 proceeded halfway down the ramp, then swiveled his dome to look at him before replying.

"No, I wasn't expecting any transmissions," he said.

The droid elaborated with a series of beeps. Obi-Wan nodded and looked over at Anakin.

"Anakin," he called.

The boy stood up and jogged over to him.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I don't know yet," Obi-Wan replied, "but it appears we have a holocall from Coruscant."

Anakin's eyebrows arched, but he nodded. Obi-Wan gestured for him to follow before proceeding up the ramp behind the droid. Once aboard, R2-D2 moved aside and they quickly made their way to the comm. room. Obi-Wan stood in front of the holoprojector with Anakin half a meter to his right. Upon the pad stood a life-sized projection of Grandmaster Yoda, who had contacted them from the Jedi Temple. Even upon the raised pad, the Jedi Master was at least a head shorter than Anakin, but the boy seemed to be making an effort to ignore it, even though he was out of view. Obi-Wan appreciated it, noticing it marked a higher level of maturity than he'd expected from him.

"Grandmaster," Obi-Wan greeted him, bowing at the waist. He straightened again and folded his hands together.

"Heard of your accomplishment, I have," Master Yoda stated. He nodded slowly. "And of our loss. Return Master Qui-Gon to the Temple you must and give him a proper funeral we will."

Obi-Wan bowed his head obediently.

"Yes, Grandmaster," he replied.

Master Yoda nodded again.

"And what of young Skywalker?" he asked, "heard many good things about him, have I, despite his disobedience."

Obi-Wan looked to his right and gestured for Anakin to approach the holoprojector. The boy fidgeted reluctantly before complying.

"I'm sorry I didn't listen to Qui-Gon, Master Yoda," he mumbled.

Master Yoda let out a throaty chuckled, to Obi-Wan's surprise.

"Sorry, you are not," he replied, "for proud of your accomplishments are you. Remind me of him, you do, and of Padawan Kenobi."

Obi-Wan hoped that wasn't a bad thing, though the grandmaster's demeanor suggested otherwise. He restrained a small smile, sensing Master Yoda's amusement.

"Displeased Master Windu is," the Jedi continued, "but recognize your abilities, the Council does. The ability to commune with the Force you have. Rare for someone untrained at your age. Eight centuries have I trained Jedi. Never before have I seen such potential."

Anakin beamed. Master Yoda nodded slowly.

"Initiated into the Jedi Order, you will be," he stated, "but exercise caution you must, for expect obedience from you, your master will."

Anakin nodded happily.

"You're right," he said, "I promise I'll do better."

"Good, good." Master Yoda turned his head to look at Obi-Wan. "To you this brings us, Padawan Kenobi."

Obi-Wan bowed his head.

"Face the Jedi trials, you will not," the grandmaster stated.

Obi-Wan's head shot back up.

"What? My master thought—"

He stopped when Master Yoda raised one small hand.

"Face them you will not, for faced a far greater test you already have," the Jedi Master explained, "in defeating this Sith Lord Maul, proven yourself you have. No longer a padawan are you, Obi-Wan Kenobi. To the rank of Jedi Knight I welcome you."

Obi-Wan restrained a giddy smile and bowed calmly.

"Thank you, Grandmaster," he said.

"Earned it, you have, and a proper ceremony have you to look forward to," Master Yoda replied. He glanced at Anakin. "But more have I to say. Too old to train with the younglings Skywalker is. Master Qui-Gon's wish, it was, for you to train him, Obi-Wan. Accept this responsibility do you?"

Obi-Wan looked down at the boy, who looked up at him expectantly. Although he still didn't fully understand why his master wanted him to train Anakin, he trusted his judgment. He looked back at Master Yoda's hologram.

"I do, Grandmaster," he said, "I'm sure he'll learn quickly."

He saw Anakin's large smile out of the corner of his eye.

"Good," the alien replied. He nodded at both of them in turn. "Return to Coruscant soon, you should, for many things have we to do. Train your padawan well, you must, for defeated the Separatists are not, and a new threat the Sith have become."

"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan replied, bowing his head again.

Anakin copied the respectful gesture and the transmission cut out. The boy looked up at him.

"Does this mean I'm a Jedi now?" he asked.

"Not quite," Obi-Wan replied. He put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "But from what I've seen of you, it won't take you long to earn it. We should tell her majesty it's about time for us to leave."

Anakin nodded and followed him out of the ship's comm. room.

"Do you think we'll ever see Padmé again?" he asked, "once we leave Naboo, I mean."

Obi-Wan smiled to himself.

"I doubt she's going to take the Senate's treatment of her planet lightly," he replied, raising an eyebrow. "I don't think Coruscant has seen the last of her yet."

~*~

Anakin stood in a small courtyard just off the side of the Jedi Temple's main hall on Coruscant. He'd been given a set of Jedi robes and his hair had been shaven short, though it hadn't yet grown long enough to be arranged in the customary padawan's hairstyle. Although his initiation had been unorthodox, the Jedi had made him feel welcome and at home in the Temple. It was a peaceful place and he'd begun to sense the Force as a comfortable warmth around him, permeating the Temple. He'd thought the sensation should feel new to him, but it was as if he'd had it with him all along. According to his master, it was normal to feel that way.

Anakin's master, Obi-Wan, had seated himself on the edge of a planter with his arms crossed over his chest and Artoo just to his right. The newly-appointed Jedi Knight had released his hair from the small ponytail he'd worn before and sliced off the braid that marked him as a padawan. There was short stubble on his chin where he'd started to let it grow. At his side hung the hilt of his former master's lightsaber.

In his hand Obi-Wan held a metal orb with several spots evenly placed all over its surface. He'd neglected to tell Anakin what it was for, but the training saber he'd given him seemed like a hint.

Obi-Wan reached his arm out and pressed a button on the orb's side, causing it to rise into the air. Anakin watched it zip left, then right, then directly toward him, stopping suddenly just a few centimeters from his head.

"Woah," he breathed, restraining the urge to step back.

"You'll want to raise your defenses," Obi-Wan stated.

Anakin looked at him.

"What?"

He heard a sputter, just before a stinging pain erupted in his arm. He yelped and slapped his hand over the wound before turning to glare at the orb, which zipped over his head and to his left. Obi-Wan chuckled.

"It's a training remote, Anakin," he said, "you're meant to block its attacks with that saber."

"Why couldn't you just tell me that?" the padawan asked through his teeth.

"Even Jedi Knights need to have their fun," Obi-Wan replied with a cheeky grin. He nodded at the remote. "Be careful, now. It's not going to wait for you to be ready."

Anakin raised the saber in both hands, but shrugged doubtfully.

"You really think I can do this?" he asked, "I mean, I only just started training."

The remote fired at him again and he jumped backward, but tripped over a low fence behind him that separated the walkway from one of the larger planters. He groaned after falling in the soft soil.

Obi-Wan raised his hand and the remote backed away. He stood up and walked over to Anakin to offer his hand. The boy took it and he pulled him to his feet. Artoo tweeted happily.

"It's harder than it looks," Anakin insisted, scowling at the droid.

Obi-Wan smiled.

"You're over thinking it," he said, "defending yourself with a lightsaber is more a matter of instinct and reflex than thought." He bent down to pluck the training saber out of the planter and handed it back to him. "You might not have known it at the time," he continued, "but you've allowed the Force to aid you many times in the past. Rather than trying to control the situation, let it guide your movements and it will protect you."

Anakin sighed and nodded.

"Alright, I'll try," he muttered.

Obi-Wan retreated to take his seat again and gestured at the training remote, which immediately zipped back into action. Anakin whipped the saber up in front of him, keeping a wary eye on the remote as it flew over his head, then to his left. It fired. He saw the blade of the training saber flick left and the small energy bolt disappeared. He could feel a familiar warmth in his chest, one that made him think of Tatooine. He realized, then, that Obi-Wan had been right. Using the Force was nothing new to him. He grinned wide.

"Ha!" he cried, "take that!"

The remote fired again, without moving and without waiting for him to stop celebrating. The bolt struck him in the knee. He yelped and glared at it. Artoo squawked amusedly. He heard Obi-Wan chuckle again and groaned.

"Try not to let your cockiness distract you, Anakin," he said, the smile still across his face.

Anakin narrowed his eyes at him, but nodded and returned his attention to the training remote, which had started to circle him. He raised the saber once again and waited for the next strike.

~*~

Master Yoda sat upon the hovering chair that allowed him to traverse the Jedi Temple at the average humanoid's head height. He and Master Windu had paused on their way to the Council Chamber when they passed a window that faced one of the Temple's smaller courtyards. Through it, he could see their newest initiate, Anakin Skywalker, and his master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, hard at work, training.

Yoda smiled to himself. He could sense great potential in the boy, potential for great and good things. And yet, his future was a mystery to the Jedi Grandmaster. It worried him little, however; the boy was stronger in the Force than any child he'd come across in his lifetime. His power spoke of enormous potential to do the galaxy great good, as well as do it harm, had he been found by the Sith instead of the Jedi. It was no wonder that his destiny had yet to be decided or revealed. Of course, if he was who Master Qui-Gon had believed him to be, his destiny was already waiting for him. Either way, they could use someone as powerful as him on their side in the fight against the Sith reemergence.

"Grandmaster, are you certain it was wise to place that boy under Kenobi's care?"

Yoda looked back at Windu, who had his arms crossed over his chest as he watched the scene below them critically.

"If Skywalker is really the Chosen One, he'll need proper training to defeat the Sith," the man continued. He gestured toward them with his chin. "Normally, the newest initiates are trained by you before they get selected by their masters. Kenobi is still very young, despite his rank."

"A talented Jedi, Kenobi is," Yoda countered.

"It's not his talent I'm worried about, Grandmaster," Windu persisted, "it's his experience as a teacher."

Yoda pursed his lips and cocked one brow at the other master.

"A fast learner, the boy is, and too old to train with the younglings," he replied. He glanced back at the courtyard window. "And the first to defeat a Sith in a thousand years, his master is," he continued, "young, he may be, but posses unique experience, he does. If the Chosen One Skywalker is, require that experience he will."

Windu nodded slowly.

"I see," he breathed, "of course, you're right about that."

The two Jedi Masters left the window behind as they continued down the hallway. They stopped when they were met by Master Ki-Adi-Mundi.

"Grandmaster Yoda, Master Windu," he began, bowing his head to both of them in turn. They returned the gesture.

"News, you bring us, Master Ki-Adi-Mundi?" Yoda asked.

The Cerean nodded.

"I've just returned from meeting with Senator—I'm sorry, I mean Chancellor Palpatine," he stated. He shook his conical head. "The Senate is displeased that we acted without first seeking its permission, though their anger is kept in check by the success of the mission to Naboo."

"The Senate shouldn't expect to have so much control over us," Windu commented, "after all, it's our autonomy that allows us to protect the galaxy, regardless of the Senate's political orientation."

"Right you are, Master Windu," Yoda agreed, "and yet cautious we must remain. Complacent the Republic has become in peace, and too comfortable in its power. Take time for them to change, it will, and until then, give them reason to doubt us, we must not."

"I only hope they won't get in the way of the search for Darth Maul," Windu replied, "the Sith won't wait for the Senate to realize how much danger the Republic is in."

"We must try to make them see the threat," Ki-Adi-Mundi agreed, "I'll continue to meet with the Senators and see if I can't get more of them on our side."

Windu sighed impatiently.

"It shouldn't be necessary for the Jedi Order to play political games like this," he stated.

"No, but necessary it is," Yoda replied. He nodded once. "For now."

~*~

Queen Padmé Amidala stood at the top of the steps to Theed's grand palace with her handmaidens, Captain Panaka and his security staff, and what remained of the palace nobles gathered around her. Her people had gathered in the main street, cheering excitedly as a parade inched its way through the city. Metallic confetti floated happily through air, reflecting light as it twisted and turned in the wind.

The queen awaited the parade's arrival, prepared to give her people a victory speech once it reached the palace steps. She was smiling whole-heartedly, though the people had only recently finished burying their fallen comrades. The time for mourning was over and the time had come for the people to embrace their restored future and celebrate their victory over the invaders.

Ever since the end of the invasion, her leadership during their time of crisis had stopped her critics in their tracks. No one had accused her of being too young to be queen. No one had doubted her decisions, or questioned her directives. It was a relief to have the people's full support, though she wished it'd come before the invasion had taken effect, when she might've done something to prevent it.

Amidala's smile grew when she spotted the parade float that'd been dedicated to the Jedi who'd been so valuable to them in the battle for their planet. The crafters had constructed a model of a Jedi starfighter, which occupied the center of the float. Holographic images of each of the eleven Jedi lined either side. She was pleasantly surprised to notice they'd even included Anakin, situated beside Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon.

She wished Anakin and Obi-Wan had been able to stay for the celebration, but she knew the matter of the Sith, Darth Maul, demanded their attention. She understood the Jedi's reluctance to explain it fully to the others, in order to prevent panic and fear, so when they'd decided to tell her the reality of the situation, she knew it to be a strong vote of confidence in her. She wouldn't let that vote go to waste.

Her term as queen had only begun a short while ago, but she already knew what she would do once it was over. The Senate's handling of Naboo's crisis had seen to that and the rumors she'd heard of their displeasure with the Jedi High Council had cemented it in her mind. She had her sights set on Coruscant and the Senate Tower, where she knew they needed her positive influence. The Jedi Order had been her ally when she needed one. She was determined to return the favor.


End file.
